Run Away, Far Away
by Chocoholixx
Summary: They've had enough. Their friends ignore them and their yamis abuse them. Searching for a solution, they come across one: Run away. Two years later, they return. Stakes are higher, trust is low. The game is set. Will they survive? (2013 Changed rating from T to M-Trigger warning for severe abuse. Remember abuse is bad; get help if you ever find yourself in an abusive relationship.)
1. Dance

YD: As promised… I give you my new story!

HS: Don't kill me for this. I'm not sure if this is going to be a shounen ai or not. I haven't decided yet.

YD: I would be my normal couplings if I did make it a shounen ai. Unfortunately, if I don't make it a shounen ai, it'll be pairingless. I'm not putting it as het couples either.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Plain and simple.

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**Chapter one, Dance**

Yuugi had been disappearing every night for the past month now. At first, Yami didn't care much but when Yuugi came home with 1000 yen after one week, Yami's interest was sparked.

He watched as Yuugi jumped out the window in the dark night. It was about ten at night. Yami leaned over the windowsill just catching a glimpse of his hikari crossing the street. Smirking, Yami jumped out the window and landed on his feet with the grace of a cat.

After five minutes of following Yuugi, Yami was standing outside the Dragon's Heart. It was the most famous club in all of Domino. It was also the safest. But why was _Yuugi_ of all people here?

"Hey, didn't you already go in?" Some guy at the door asked, confused. Yami shook his head no. "Then I'll need to see some identification." Yami handed him his driver's license. The guy looked at it and gave it back. "Go on in and enjoy the night."

"Thank you." Yami went into the club. People were dancing provocatively everywhere. Certain people had others watching him or her but no one went closer. Some were sitting at the bar, drinking. Yami sat down.

"What can I getcha?" A female asked. Yami looked at her nametag.

"Just a coke, Sarra." Sarra nodded and left. Yami looked around again. How was he ever supposed to find Yuugi in this mess?

"Here you go." Sarra handed him the cold can.

"Hey Sarra, do you know if a kid that kind of looks like me is in here?" Sarra nodded.

"I'm new here so I don't know his name but he came in here a few seconds before you did and went back there." She pointed to a door that said _Employees Only_. Why was Yuugi there?

"Thanks." Sarra nodded and left Yami alone with his coke. So Yuugi was here…

"Hey ya'll! Are you ready for the music?" Obviously, the crowd knew what he was talking about. They cheered loudly. "What? I can't hear you." He said, cupping his ear, feigning deafness. They crowd cheered even louder.

"Light and Dark, Light and Dark, Light and Dark," they chanted.

"I give you the pride and joy of this club, the band Light and Dark!" The curtains behind him opened as he stepped off stage. Three _very_ familiar figures stood there. Yami's jaw dropped. That was _Ryou_, _Malik_, and _Yuugi_! The three were wearing strange clothing. Each wore a black and white shirt and black and white pants. One half was white and one half was black. The sleeves of the shirts were see through. The pants clung to their hips greedily.

Ryou began strumming on his guitar, Malik joining in. Yuugi took a breath as he began singing.

"_Grew up in a small town_"

His voice couldn't be compared. It was like millions of angels singing but they still couldn't match the beauty in Yuugi's voice. Many, like Yami, were stunned. Whoever said silence is deafening was right. There couldn't be a more appropriate oxymoron.

"_And breakaway_," Malik sang, strumming his guitar. Yami stared. Wouldn't Marik be surprised?

"_Breakaway,_" Ryou sang, also strumming the last chords. Bakura would be proud. Yami was sure of it.

"_Breakaway…_" Yuugi breathed out the last word of the song. Ryou and Malik played the last chords and the sound echoed. The room was silent. The three on the stage bowed and the entire crowd exploded. Cheering was the only thing you could hear. They bowed again. People were throwing money onto the stage, maybe a flower or two. Yuugi picked up the roses and kissed its petals. Smiling, the trio of lights left the stage.

"Aren't they so awesome?" A familiar voice asked. Yami turned; Sarra was staring at the stage with a dreamy look on her face.

"I never knew…"

"Are you related?"

"No, we're just close friends." The manger was back on stage.

"To hear more, come back tomorrow! Light and Dark will be here everyday until further notice!" The crowd cheered some more. No wonder the club was so popular…

"I'm definitely coming back tomorrow!" A kid in the crowd shouted. A chorus of _yeahs_ sounded throughout the building.

"Hey, wait, people. One of the band members wants to play a song for someone out there today. Here's Mutou Yuugi with the song The _First Cut Is the Deepest_." The crowd immediately silenced and watched as Yuugi stepped onto the stage. Ryou and Malik played quietly in the background.

"_I would have given you all of my heart  
but there's someone who's torn it apart_"

All the while, Yuugi looked into the transfixed crowd. Poor, innocent, little Yuugi was a cutter. It was sad but it was true. But no, he didn't have scars. He always erased all the evidence. A little magic always healed the cuts.

"_The first cut is the deepest_"

The first cut had been deep. He cut himself after Yami hit him for the first time. The memories still brought back tears. Yuugi dropped the microphone. Silent tears streamed down his face, but he never stopped singing. He started dancing, swaying his delectable hips from side to side.

"_The first cut is the deepest; baby I know  
The first cut is the deepest_"

With that, Yuugi ended his song. He bowed shakily and ran off the stage, tears coming full force. Ryou and Malik bowed and hurried after their smaller friends. They never heard the thunderous applause or Yami sneaking into the _Employees Only_ door. The two entered and found Yuugi sitting in a chair holding himself and sobbing his heart out.

"Oh Yuugi, you were thinking of _Him_ weren't you?" Ryou asked sympathetically. Yuugi nodded.

"I don't know what I did. Yami would never do something like that to me. What, what if I… maybe I did something wrong. Maybe I am really worthless…"

"No, you're not!" Malik shook Yuugi's shoulders. "Keep it together, Yuugi. Don't fall apart on us."

"I'm sorry… It's just Yami would never hurt me but he's been hitting me." They hugged him.

"Bakura was always abusive. I learned to deal with it. I had to or else Bakura would keep beating me."

"Marik has been abusing me ever since he got from the Shadow Realm. I think it's revenge or something."

"You guys have reasons but I don't. What did I _do_?" Yuugi started crying again, although a little muffled like he was trying to stop.

Outside the door, Yami listened to every word said. He had heard enough. Turning around, he left to go home. Oh yes, he was definitely going to say something to his hikari. Foolish hikari brought his on himself. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone and for that, he would be punished.

Once Yuugi has gotten a hold of his tears, each said their goodbyes and left for home. They has changed back into normal clothes and left their band uniforms at the club. It wouldn't be good if the yamis found out they were doing this…

Silently, Yuugi climbed the tree next his bedroom window. He always left the window unlocked during one of his escapades so he'd always be able to get back in. The window opened without a sound. He climbed in and shut the window, locking it. Yuugi stretched. Did his room seem darker and chillier? He froze. Please, please, please don't let it be _Him_.

"Hello, aibou." Yuugi cursed whatever deity hated him so much. This was rotten luck.

"H-hello, Yami." He ran for the door only to have Yami catch his wrist. Next thing he knew, Yami slammed him against the wall, still holding his wrist tightly.

"You told someone." Yuugi's breath hitched. Could Yami have followed him? "You weren't supposed to tell." A knife pressed against his throat. Oh Kami…

"Who are you?" Yuugi asked. Yami smirked.

"I'm your worst nightmare." Yuugi stared into the face of the person who used to be his best friend.

"What happened to Yami?"

"I _am_ Yami."

"No you're not. Yami would never do this to me. He'd never threaten me or try and kill me. You're not Yami. If you are, then I don't know you anymore. We used to be partners, remember? We had fun. We dueled, saved the world, we had fun, Yami. Don't you remember?"

"You little speech won't save you. But there is one thing that can." Yuugi shivered, he didn't like that tone.

"What?"

"Dance for me, dance and sing, and I'll see if I'll keep you alive." Ok, Yuugi was beyond betrayed now. He was downright scared out of his wits. Yami let go of him and Yuugi dropped to the floor, breathing uneven. Yami licked the knife.

"Yami…?"

"You blood tastes good, aibou." Yuugi backed into the wall, eyes wide. Who the hell was this? Yami sat back.

"Dance for me." Yami ordered. Yuugi stood shakily. He tried to pretend that he was safe and started humming _Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me_.

"'_Cause losing everything is like the sun going down on me_" Yuugi sang the last line of the song, still dancing. He hummed the last notes and stopped.

"I could get a lot of money from you…" Yami muttered. Yuugi backed into the wall again. He had forgotten that Yami was here.

"I need to go to sleep now, Yami. I have school tomorrow." Crimson eyes turned to him. Blood swirled in his eyes, demon eyes… Yami blinked and Yuugi was released from the paralysis.

Fine, sleep." Yami left the room quickly. Yuugi breathed a sigh of relief. This was getting harder and harder to suppress the urge to leave. Yuugi took a quick shower and changed. A plan formulated in his conscious mind.

"We're leaving today." Yuugi thought. He blocked his thoughts from Yami. It wouldn't do if Yami found out.

**To Be Continued**

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YD: How do you like it? The OCs aren't important in this story. They're just characters. I do own them though!

HS: I still haven't decided if this is going to be a shounen ai yet. I'm clueless here! Help!

YD: Hope you liked it, reviews please.


	2. Planning

YD: Thank you to all you reviewers out there! I realize this is overdone but I hope this story won't go the way most go. For one, I have decided there will be no couplings. Everyone is single all throughout the story. Although if I get enough people asking for shounen ai then I'll have an alternate ending. It all depends really.

HS: And so, it starts…

Disclaimer: Honestly, you do think I could own the miracle of Yuugiou? I'm flattered but no, I don't own it.

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**Chapter two, Planning**

It was beautiful outside. The winds were just right and the sun wasn't too bright. (Hey that rhymes! Sorry, back to the story.) The clouds looked a little gray with a threat of rain but other than that, it was beautiful. Yuugi was asleep, dreaming of flying through the air, free.

_RING! RING! RING! RING! RI-CRASH!_

Yuugi slammed the alarm down forcefully. He really wasn't a morning person… He groaned and literally rolled out of bed. Getting aquatinted with the floor, Yuugi groaned inaudibly. Yami wasn't a morning person either and since he was the abuser, Yuugi wouldn't exactly want to get on his bad side.

"Damn." Yuugi mouthed. He extracted himself from the bindings of his bed sheets and stood, stretching. He put his ear against the door and listened. Yami usually left early since he talked to _Yuugi's_ ex-friends. A door slammed. That was Yuugi's cue.

Yawning, Yuugi gathered his clothes and headed toward the shower. Surely cold water would wake him up… Yuugi stumbled as he walked into the door. Well, that wasn't smart… Rubbing his forehead, Yuugi entered the bathroom.

Approximately ten minutes later, a wide-awake Yuugi stepped out of the bathroom. He wore blue jeans, having discarded his leather for something a little more comfortable and free. A silver belt with chains hung from his hips. It was more for show than anything else. A black shirt with white words saying _Tainted Darkness_ added a little personality to the ensemble. A silver bracelet was the only thing on his left wrist. It had been the last gift his friends had given him. _Life, love, light_, the three elements crucial to the existence of a person.

Yuugi wiped away a tear. He entered his room and sat down at his desk. Opening the drawer, a silver blade shined. It was the very blade that relieved so much pain. It was the blade which Yuugi had been using to cut himself ever since Yami first hit him. Yuugi picked up the knife by the blade, not caring that it cut his skin. Slowly, he rolled his sleeve up and dragged the knife against his unscarred flesh. It didn't hurt since Yuugi was used to it. Blood dripped from the wound to land in his lap. Yuugi sighed; this was his release from all other pain in the world. It never had hurt, only was numb.

After a few minutes of cutting, Yuugi healed all his wounds, not leaving a scratch. Only recently had he discovered that he could wield Shadow Magic just as easily as his yami. Yuugi couldn't summon anything but he could use small bits of it now and then. He cleaned the blade and returned it to its rightful place. Cleaning up the mess of blood, Yuugi used a little more magic to remove any stains on his pants. Checking that everything was orderly, Yuugi left the room.

He was starving. Silently, Yuugi rummaged through the fridge, searching for anything edible Yami wouldn't miss. Gathering ingredients for a turkey sandwich, Yuugi ate the sandwich without toasting the bread. He checked if everything was as he left it and it passed his judgment. Time to get to school.

Yuugi grabbed his backpack and locked the door before leaving. He dropped the key into his pocket and started on the five minute walk to school. Looking around and seeing nobody, Yuugi ran into his favorite hangout. It was the place he met Malik and Ryou for the walk to school. His only two friends were sitting in the corner, talking quietly. They stopped as soon as they saw a shadow and smiled when they saw it was only Yuugi.

"Hey, Yuugi. Do you have any news?" Ryou asked, motioning for the shorter boy to take a seat.

"Guys, how long have you wanted to escape your darkness?"

"Ever since I knew about him." Came the simultaneous answer. Yuugi nodded, he was expecting that kind of answer.

"Well, Yami followed me to the club last night. I guess I got careless or something. He threatened me and he said something about making money off of me. Well, I was thinking, since we have enough money, why don't we leave and start a new life?" Malik and Ryou thought it over for about a split second.

"Hell yeah!" They slapped five and started planning what to do. Only a foolish person would go without a plan, hoping for the best. No, Yuugi had done that and look where it got him.

"We'll need help. I'm sure the others would ask Kaiba so let's convince him to join our side. He'll be really useful. Think about his computer skills!" Malik offered. Yuugi nodded in agreement.

"Then it's settled. We leave today at ten PM on a plane to England." Ryou said. Since they were going to a brand new place, they wanted to go somewhere familiar. Ryou was born and raised for most of his life in Britain. It would be nice to actually know what you were doing and not wander around a place you had no information of.

"Let's get to school now." Yuugi suggested. The others stood up and walked out together. He hoped they wouldn't run into anyone they didn't want to meet. One good thing was that their yamis couldn't abuse them in public the bad thing was that Jounouchi and Honda's new gang could…

As soon as the Lights got to school, the bell rang. It was like this everyday. Get to school as late as possible without being late and you have a better chance of getting beat on. Now, between classes, that was a whole different problem. The three separated for class, each hoping the other would be okay. They never knew if someone from school went to the club they worked at.

Ryou sat down in his seat at the farthest corner in the class. He was separated from civilization a bit since all the talkative people sat far forward. The teacher didn't care as long as they did all their work. If they didn't… it wouldn't be pretty.

Time is such a fickle thing. For some it goes too fast, for some it goes too slow. For the three hikaris, time went too slow. As soon as the lunch bell rang, there was a stampede of teenagers.

The Lights met at their favorite place to eat, high up in a tree. Or course, everything had to be balanced or you'd fall off. No one ever found them unless they were looking close enough. Malik noticed that two very familiar figures stood beneath the tree they were currently in. He captured his friends' attention and gestured to the two beneath the leaves of the tree.

"Where the hell are they?"

"We have the entire lunch period to find them. Even if we don't, we have time after school. Those three have gone too long without a beating."

Lucky for them, the two turned away and left. The three just sat there, slowly processing what Yuugi's ex-friends had said. A few tears slipped down his cheeks. Life sucked. His yami abused him. His ex-friends had split up and went separate ways.

Anzu joined the cheerleaders and constantly put everyone down. Jounouchi and Honda formed a dangerous gang called Living Ghosts. They never killed, only put people in the hospital. They were never caught either. Otogi became extremely rich had tons of money-lovers hanging all over him. Shizuka got tired of it all and returned to life with her mother, far away from here. The Darks had joined up and became the most powerful group existing called, Dark Shadows. No one dared mess with them.

"We'll be ok, Yuugi. Dry those tears." Ryou comforted. "Think of what life will be after we get out of here."

"First we'll find someone to support us. Meanwhile we'll be finishing our education and when someone does sponsor us, we'll make them proud. Soon, we'll be famous and everyone that used to know us will beg for forgiveness. I can't wait to say no to the little wannabes." Malik said vehemently.

"How do you know we'll become so famous?" Yuugi asked.

"You heard the crowds every time we played and sang. And that dancing, Yuugi, that was spectacular. We keep this up and we'll be rich and famous in no time." Yuugi blushed at the comment. It just all come naturally to him.

"What about Kaiba?" Ryou asked. "We still need to convince him to join our cause."

"Did any of you forget to heal your wounds? We could show the proof of abuse. You know how Kaiba hates abuse. After all, his step-father abused him." Ryou held out his arm and rolled up the sleeve. Black, blue, purple, yellow bruises were all up and down his frail arm.

"I think Yami called Bakura or something. He tried to make me dance and sing for him but I refused. Bakura went as far as holding a knife against my throat but I still didn't. He ended up just beating within an inch of my life." Small crystalline tears shone on his face.

"Oh Ryou, I'm sorry. I should have checked. It's all my fault." Ryou shook his head.

"Don't blame yourself, Yuugi. No one would have guessed that your yami would follow you." Yuugi released a guilty sigh. The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch.

"Well, time to get to class." Malik said with a sigh. I mean, hey, who liked school anyways? They packed up their things and jumped down from the tree. "See ya later, guys." Ryou and Yuugi waved and left.

The rest of the classes were uneventful. Jounouchi and Honda were looking at each other a lot, seeming trying to relate a message mentally. Yuugi ignored them, instead paying attention to the outside world. Birds flew freely, how Yuugi longed to be one of them. So free, so alive.

"Mutou!" The sharp voice of the teacher interrupted his thoughts. Cold gray eyes stared at him. Yuugi was unperturbed. How many times had Yami looked at him that way with hate in his eyes?

"Yes, sensei?" The teacher looked at her student. He wasn't intimidated. Strange, most students were terrified of her wrath.

"Answer the question on the board." She was tough but fair. Some teachers would hand out detentions just for annoying the, this teacher would not. Yuugi glanced at the board. _If -9m – 12 11 – 3m, what is m?_ Yuugi closed his eyes and worked out the problem.

"M is less than – 23/6" Jaws dropped all around the class. Who knew the little shrimp could ace math? The bell rang and Yuugi, who had already gathered his things, ran out the door. He had to get home before Yami did. That way, he could still leave.

The three friends met outside. They smiled at each other, glad that escaped anyone who wanted to hurt them.

"Hey, Mutou, Bakura, Ishtar!" Or maybe they spoke too soon. Pale, the three addressed teens turned. The gang Living Ghosts stood in front of them. Jounouchi and Honda smirked. "You know what comes next." The ten boys surrounded the three. Growling in annoyance, the Lights got into a fighting position. Malik had been teaching them how to fight. They couldn't fight their Darks; only fight others like Jou and Honda.

"So the little Lights finally decided to stand up for themselves." Honda taunted. The fight was fast. One person dove for Yuugi and he avoided the larger bully easily. Usually, the plan was not to get hit. Ryou dodged a punch aimed for his stomach. Malik caught a fist aimed for his face and punched the guy.

"You're going to have to do worse than that to get through to us!" Yuugi shouted. He dropped to the ground and kicked some guy's feet from underneath him. Ryou was hit from behind and dropped to the ground. Dizzy but still conscious, he kicked someone in the shin. The person howled in pain and kicked Ryou. Malik rushed to his friend and knocked out the person who hurt Ryou.

"You ok?"

"Fine." They resumed the fight. Pretty soon, the odds were seven to three. The odds were in Jounouchi and Honda's favor.

"You fight good, brat, but not good enough. They surrounded the Lights again and kicked them off their feet. Once they were on the ground the gang started kicking them unceremoniously.

"Damn…" Yuugi whispered. They curled up, not wanting to get kicked anywhere important. After ten or so minutes, the gang got bored.

"See ya later, jerks." Jounouchi told the battered Lights. They left. Yuugi moaned and uncurled himself, every part of him aching. At his side, Ryou and Malik did the same.

"What that was fun. Let's go do it again." Malik whispered sarcastically. Ryou scoffed.

"Yes, let's. Can we get home and pack now?"

"No let's go see Kaiba first. We have proof of abuse now, all right." Yuugi whispered back. Slowly lifting themselves off the ground the trio started limping down the street, wincing with each step. Curiously, luck was on their side today. A familiar black limo pulled up beside them and a window rolled down.

"What happened to you three?"

"Got caught by goddamn bullies." Malik replied, venom lacing each word. Yuugi stumbled and was caught by Ryou.

"Thanks…" Uncharacteristically, the stone cold Kaiba was worried.

"Get in." He opened to door and the trio gratefully entered the limo. A tiny bit of magic sparkled. Yuugi paled.

"Guys, I don't have enough magic to heal myself. What am I supposed to _do_? I can't let anyone find out." Yuugi whispered, voice extremely low and panicky. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, Kaiba overheard.

"Find out what, Mutou." Yuugi flinched.

"Please don't make me answer that question, Kaiba. I can't." Yuugi's pleading eyes bored into his.

"You're being abused." Whatever color there was disappeared.

"What make you think that?"

"Give me your arm." Yuugi inched away from him. As gently as he could, Kaiba grabbed the smaller boy's arm and pulled up the sleeve. Small bruises marred the pale skin. "You said something about healing yourself. How can you?"

"I use magic. Before you say anything, there's a limit to how much I can use. I've already used up enough to heal my cutting."

"Kaiba, we know you hate abuse. Can you help us? We want to run away from here, but we'll need your help." Ryou asked. He gently rolled up his sleeve. His bruises and cuts were a lot more severe that Yuugi's had been.

"Ryou doesn't have that much of control over the Shadows." Malik explained. He too rolled up his sleeve. All three boys had bruises and cuts.

"Who did this?" The Lights were silent.

"Can you help us? We know that someone will ask you for help. Don't tell them anything. Just make sure the others don't find out. We can't risk them coming after us." Yuugi pleaded. Kaiba dropped the boy's arm.

"I will. I absolute cannot tolerate abuse. Where will you go? What will you do?"

"We have everything planned, don't worry."

**To Be Continued**

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YD: Well that was long. It was eight pages on Word! I realize that Kaiba is a little OOC but hey, the kid was abused. Doncha think he'd hate abuse afterward?

HS: I want some reviews please! Every author must feed on reviews. I'm hungry.

YD: Till next update. The wait won't be long, hopefully.


	3. Runaway

YD: Kaiba will still be a little OOC, I'm sorry if you don't like it. I mean hey, wouldn't you hate abuse if you went through with it?

HS: Yes, yes, we get it. Let's move along, shall we?

YD: Impatient aren't you? Oh never mind, don't answer the question.

Disclaimer: I own Yuugiou the day the world stops spinning and I stop writing. Need I go on?

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**Chapter three, Runaway**

After explaining their plans to Kaiba, he dropped the trio off at their respective homes. The Darks were out, probably at the arcade trying to beat each other. Yuugi treated his wounds with the First Aid kit, seeing how he couldn't heal himself at the moment. He packed everything he needed. Clothes, money, and his razor were going with him, little essentials he could buy elsewhere.

"I still have time." Yuugi whispered. He sat down at his desk and opened to drawer. Pulling out a sheet of paper and a pen, he began a letter to his yami and ex-friends. Seven minutes later, the letter was completed. Time to get out of here and find a new life. Yuugi walked to the door and turned around, looking at his room for the last time. Scoffing, he turned and walked out of the house for the last time.

"Come one, Mutou. We don't have all day!" Kaiba shouted from inside his limo. Ryou and Malik were already inside. Yuugi smiled and went down to greet them. He hugged his friends. Kaiba bowed his head very slightly and Yuugi returned the gesture, bowing his head lower.

"I think we should make one last stop. Remember the club? Why not go sing one last song?" Malik asked.

"What should we sing?" Ryou asked. Yuugi snapped his fingers.

"How about Bill Withers - Lean on Me?" Ryou and Malik nodded in agreement. Kaiba shrugged and ordered the chauffer to drive them to Dragon's Heart. Yuugi started singing inaudibly.

Once they had reached the famous club, the four entered the place. The Lights sought out the manager to tell part of their situation. No one needed to know they were being abused. Sam (the manager) sighed after hearing their story.

"You guys were the best. I'll miss you once you're gone."

"We'll sing one more song for the club, Sam." Ryou offered. Sam nodded and the three got ready.

Outside, Yami, Marik, and Bakura were sitting at the bar, drinking. Kaiba watched them disguising his disgust quite well. They were drunk, he knew.

"Hey, ya'll! How's everyone doing today? I have good news and bad news now. Our band, Light and Dark, will not be playing for us anymore." There was a collective groan that rippled through the crowd. "Even though they are leaving us, our band, Light and Dark, has decided to play one last song." The crowd cheered wildly.

"Dat name sounds familiar…" Yami said, a little off.

Yuugi, Malik, and Ryou stepped onto stage. Kaiba's eyes widened at how they looked. Yami, Marik, and Bakura stopped drinking to stare. He heard Yami suck in a breath.

"I told dat pathetic weakling he couldn't sing anymore." Yami growled. Kaiba sensed that Yami was going to do something stupid. He silently urged the trio to hurry up.

"Here's Light and Dark with the song, Lean on Me." Sam introduced. He stepped off the stage to watch his best employees and their last song here. Ryou and Malik played the first chords of the song. A microphone stood in front of them. Yuugi stood at the front, eyes closed.

"_Sometimes in our live we all have pain  
__We all have sorrow  
__But if we are wise  
__We know that there's always tomorrow_"

His eyes were still closed. He had tears trickling down his face. Kaiba stared. Everyone else listened silently. Did Yuugi always have this kind of effect on people? How could anyone hurt such a person? What person would taint such innocence? Kaiba felt an uncharacteristic wave of pity and empathy toward the three friends.

Yuugi, eyes still closed, started swaying his hips in time to the music. He turned around and opened his eyes. Dull violet shone with feelings Kaiba could interpret immediately. Desperation, depression, hurt, and anger were evident, swirling in those plum-colored depths. Dimly, he heard someone suck in a breath.

Ryou stood up and laid his guitar on the chair he was sitting in. He joined Yuugi and started dancing and singing as well. He barely had experience in dancing but he was good. Malik smiled slightly and continued playing. He'd pass on the dancing.

The crowd was transfixed. No one could do anything other than watch the trio. Even the three Darks couldn't do anything. The two Lights' voices caressed the mind and soothed the soul. Their dancing was so flawless; you'd think that they came straight from heaven.

Malik stood, still playing the soft melody of the song. He stood between his friends and sang his part in the song. Ryou and Yuugi smiled softly, lighting up the room somewhat. It would have been beautiful, if the mood had not seemed so depressive.

"_For it won't be long  
__Till I'm gonna need  
__Somebody to lean on_"

The three finished their song. Malik played the last few notes and stopped. The trio bowed low as the crowd was awakened from their comatose-like state and started clapping wildly. Yuugi, who still held the microphone, motioned for silence. The crowd complied.

"Thank you, people of Domino City. You don't know how much your support means to me. Without you, I'd have broken down and lost the will to go on. I'll never forget this city. I'll never forget the fun times or the friendships I made. I only wish that I could leave on a happier note. Any person who knows Yami Atemu, tell him that I will never forgive him." Yuugi bowed once more and left with his friends.

Kaiba glared at Yami who was halfway out of his seat. Yami himself was seething. How dare that ungrateful… Next thing Yami knew, people were giving him death glares. He was so popular, almost everyone knew him. Kaiba stood in front of everyone.

"These people may not know what Yuugi was talking about, but I do." He stepped forward and gripped Yami's collar. Bakura and Marik were too intoxicated to notice.

"What do you want with me, Kaiba?" The addressed billionaire almost gagged at the stench of alcohol. Instead, he held his composure and glared at Yami.

"If you ever lay a hand on him again, I'll make sure you're locked up forever." Kaiba threatened. He dropped Yami. The hikaris saw the whole thing. Feeling brave, they stepped out of hiding and stood next to Kaiba. Yami's eyes widened at the expression on his hikari's face.

"I'll never forget what you did to me, Yami." He pulled down the collar of his shirt, revealing a red mark that looked like the Eye of Ra. It was the mark Yami had given to him approximately two weeks ago. The crowd gathered behind Kaiba dissipated, knowing that they did not want to be disturbed.

Ryou and Malik settled for glaring at their darker halves, knowing that they wouldn't know anything that happened. Yami continued staring at his Light. Yuugi had tears clouding his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He was through being weak.

"I'll never forgive and forget, Yami. Never again will I let you into my life." Without another word, Kaiba and the three Lights left the club. Sam ran after them, holding a piece of paper.

"Yuugi, Ryou, Malik, wait. I have something for you." Sam gave each of the members of the band a check. Malik glanced at the amount written on the check. His eyes widened considerably.

"T-three thousand yen?" Malik asked incredulously. Sam nodded.

"It's bad luck to underpay you. And with you gone and Friday the 13th coming up, I'll need all the good luck I can get."

"But nine thousand yen? Sam you don't have to. We have enough." Ryou said.

"If you don't take it, I'll throw it down the drain." Yuugi hugged Sam. "Good luck you three. Come visit."

"If we can, Sam, we will." Yuugi said. They got into Kaiba's limo. Sam waved until the limo was out of sight. Three boys stumbled out of the club after Sam went back in.

"Where'd dey go?" Bakura asked. Marik hiccupped.

"I dunno. Hey, Yami do ya know where da brats went?" Yami looked up at the sky. Clouds had blocked the sun. Now they threatened rain. What started out as a beautiful day turned into a bleak, dreary night.

"I dunno. Let's go home." After saying their goodbyes, each of the yamis headed home with torture on their mind. Yuugi was going to pay for what he said. Oh yes, the little wretch was going to pay…

Meanwhile, Kaiba had just dropped off the trio at the airport. Each of the Lights shook hands with Kaiba.

"Thank you for everything, Kaiba. We're indebted to you." Ryou remarked.

"No need. Keep in touch. Mokuba and I would love to hear from you."

"We'll do that, Kaiba. Thanks again." Malik said. "We'd better get going if we're going to catch a plane." Saying the last of the goodbyes, the trio left Kaiba and entered the airport building. Kaiba watched until they were out of sight. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed home.

"Yes, Mokuba, I did it. No need to blackmail me or nag me anymore."

"_Thanks, nii-sama, it means a lot to me._"

"Yeah, yeah, you're lucky I love you, kid." Kaiba said affectionately. Not many people got to see the soft side of Kaiba Seto. Kaiba Mokuba was one of those few people, probably the only person.

"_I know, nii-sama. Don't stay too late at the office._"

"I promise I'll be home by eleven. Love you, Mokuba. Bye."

"_Bye, nii-sama._" Kaiba closed the cell phone, effectively terminating the conversation. Truth to be told, Kaiba's little brother was the person who opened his eyes to see the Lights' situation. Without Mokuba, Kaiba would have never seen the signs of abuse.

Inside the airport, the three were searching for the right plane. At the last minute, they had decided to go to the United States since Yuugi already had three tickets to there. Before Yuugi's Grandpa had died, he had always made sure the small family had tickets to San Francisco, California. After all, Professor Hawkins was a friend and they could always depend on his help in an emergency.

"Flight 834 to San Francisco, California departs in three hours minutes. Last call for anyone to San Francisco, California on flight 834."

"That's our plane." Ryou said. They dragged their luggage through Customs and the other security tests. It left them disgruntled with ten minute till take off. Yuugi had a window seat and Ryou had an aisle seat.

"This is flight 834 bound for San Francisco, California. I'm you're Captain, Claire. We're about to take off so please buckle up and please put your seats and trays in their original positions." Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik nodded to each other. No turning back now.

Looking out the window at his home, the place where he grew up, Yuugi felt a little saddened that it had to end this way. The feeling was rudely brushed aside and replaced with euphoria. He was finally leaving his past behind. Never again would Yami hurt him.

"Goodbye everyone, I won't miss you." He whispered. Smiling slightly, Yuugi put on headphones and listened to his favorite radio station.

_Goodbye… forever…_

**To Be Continued**

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**

YD: Now you know why Kaiba was so OOC, Mokuba was blackmailing him. Use your imagination to find out what Mokuba threatened with. I'm too lazy to tell you.

HS: This chapter was crap but it gets better. Also, an OC gets a part in the story. Not a romantic part but a friend part. She'll join the band and be the person who plays on the keyboard or piano, depending on where they'll be performing. Sorry if you don't like OCs, but the band is small and needs another person.

YD: Reviews for the effort?


	4. Soul Room Problems

YD: I'm back. Didja miss me? I'm going to ask this once more. Should I have an alternate ending with shounen ai in it? It'll be Yami x Yuugi, Bakura x Ryou, and Marik x Malik. You know yami x hikari pairings.

HS: I need answers. Help…

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.

* * *

**Chapter four, Soul Room Problems**

"We will be landing in San Francisco, California in about three hours." Ryou stared into space, thinking. Yuugi and Malik were sleeping next to him. Actually, the two were in their soul rooms, rearranging their things.

"_You pitiful weakling, you're worthless. Everyone hates you. You're just a stupid little mortal that no one pays attention to." A swift kick to the ribs that left him gasping in pain. "Idiot hikari, you're weak. You should be used to the pain."_

"_I… I hate you, Yami." _

"_Pitiful, I'm so scared." Bakura taunted. A bruised and bloodied Ryou lay on the floor, desperately trying to regain his breath._

"_I'll never give into you, Yami. You'll have to kill me first."_

"_I intend to do so someday. For now, you need a little lesson on listening to your superiors."_

"_I hope you don't mean yourself." Ryou taunted. Bakura filled with rage. He lifted Ryou up and slammed him against the wall. Ryou cried out in pain when his sore body made contact with the solid wall._

"_Not so tough now, are you?" Bakura snarled. Ryou stared into the russet eyes. Cruelty was all he was ever shone. He waited for the pain. And did it come…_

Ryou shook his head, brushing back painful memories. He was never going back there, ever. Bakura couldn't hurt him anymore. He looked at his only friends. Ryou was extremely grateful that he had them.

"Malik, wake up, we're landing soon." Ryou said softly, shaking Malik's shoulder. Malik was startled awake and looked around wildly. "Malik, it's only me, Ryou. Calm down. Marik isn't going to hurt you anymore." Once Malik was calm, he smiled a bit.

"I had an awesome dream. It was the first one in months. We became rich and famous. The others came to us begging for mercy. We turned them away. The look on their faces was priceless. I wish that would happen."

"You never know. It might come true." Yuugi said, waking up.

"I didn't know you were that much of a light sleeper." Ryou pointed out. Yuugi smiled without any trace of happiness.

"You have to be a light sleeper in order to hide when a drunken Yami comes home." Ryou and Malik winced. When people were drunk, they tended to get even more violent. That meant more pain for them.

"Well, they'll never be able to hurt us now. We're safe from them." Yuugi smiled at his friends.

"I know. It's just that I have nightmares about Yami finally killing me. Why did he start abusing me anyway?" Malik rubbed his forehead.

"We might never know, Yuugi. Don't call me for a while; I'll be in my soul room."

"Good idea. I have to finish changing everything. Old memories will be put away." The three let go of reality and sank into themselves, going into their soul rooms.

* * *

Yuugi conjured up a toy box and began cleaning up the floor. The lighting had dimmed and wasn't as bright as before. All the pictures of his ex-friends gathered dust in a corner. Only one of those pictures wasn't completely neglected. Yami's portrait was in front, not as dusty. Grandpa's picture hung up with flowers around it, signifying Yuugi's mourning. Two pictures hung up next to a bed.

Yuugi finished cleaning the floor so he pushed the toy box to another corner. Smiling a bit, Yuugi walked toward his bed. His foot tapped something on the floor he missed. Yuugi paled at the sight of the Sennen Puzzle. It gleamed eerily. Drawn to it, Yuugi picked it off the floor. Torrents of memories hit him unexpectedly.

"Yami…" Yuugi sank to the ground, clutching his Puzzle. He sobbed his heart out. Each tear hit the Puzzle and dissolved. Yuugi couldn't deny it. He missed his home, his life, but most of all, he missed his yami. So many good memories were made with him. "I just wish I could see him like he was before."

* * *

Malik looked around his soul room with satisfaction. An Egyptian-like theme dominated the room. Gold tiles created an unearthly like feel. Silks fluttered in a nonexistent breeze. Through a large window, Malik could see the deserts of Egypt. The sun was about to set. Something shone in his room. Malik stepped toward it, intrigued.

It was the Sennen Rod. Malik stood there transfixed. Floods of memories hit him.

_Darkness was clawing at him. Malik screamed in agony as he was bombarded by the Shadows. Why did his yami betray him?_

"_I'm taking over now. Your life belongs to me."_

Malik sank to his knees, trying to rid himself of the horrifying images. His yami couldn't hurt him now. Marik would never be able to hurt him again. The flashbacks stopped suddenly. They left Malik with a broken heart filled with doubt and tears streaming down his face.

"I never want to see you again, Marik. Rot in hell for all I care."

* * *

Ryou looked around his room. The walls used to be pure white but now they were a dingy gray, signifying his tainted Light. It looked just like a regular bedroom. There were only a few key differences. For one, bedrooms didn't have purple-colored mist floating about randomly. The magic of the Shadow Realm ran through Ryou's blood. Ryou was used to the difference. Something glinted in the dim lighting, instantly catching the watchful eye of Ryou.

"What the…?" He had just discovered the very item that brought so much pain to his life: The Sennen Ring. Images from his past abuse flashed before his eyes, never staying long enough to be seen clearly. He sank to his knees trying to block out some of the pain. It wouldn't leave. Ryou screamed.

"I never want to see you again, Bakura. I hate you." The images halted, allowing Ryou to regain his breath.

* * *

Yami couldn't push away a nagging feeling at the back of his mind. Something was wrong. He continued walking down the road back home. Alcohol never had a lasting effect on him, strangely. He felt like half of him wasn't there. But that wasn't possible, was it…? Yami stopped, a thought dawning on him. _Yuugi_ was his other half. But how did he feel as if Yuugi's presence had gone, simply faded away?

"That ungrateful brat, if he's…" Yami let the threat hang in the air. The sky was turning blacker, letting everyone know there was rain in the air. The ex-pharaoh hurried home, thoughts bent on finding out what happened.

He slammed the door of the house, having moved out of the game shop after Yuugi's grandfather died. Yami narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the look of the small house. Everything was messy since Yami never cleaned up. Usually Yuugi was the one to do that. And tonight Yuugi was supposed to clean up.

"Brat, I'll show him." Smirking cruelly, Yami sauntered over to Yuugi's side of the house. He'd show that little fool what happened when he didn't follow orders. Yami opened to door expecting to see Yuugi asleep on the bed. He had no such luck. It looked like a tornado went through. Clothes were everywhere, and old board games were trashed on the floor. The only relatively neat place was his desk. Yami found himself drawn to the letter on the desk. It seemed to be calling out to him. Giving in to the urges, Yami picked up the paper.

_To my ex-friends,_

_I suppose you're happy now, aren't you? You don't have weak little Yuugi to hold you back anymore. Whether you are a cheerleader, or a fat-ass bully, you're happy. I should've done what Shizuka did six months ago. I'm running away. I'm getting free, far from where my demons will find me. Maybe one day, if fate is kind, I'll come home. Believe me, it won't be soon. Jounouchi and Honda, I hope you're happy that you constantly prey on the weak. But guess what? I'm not weak anymore. I don't rely on anyone but my true friends. Too bad you're not one of them. Anzu, I hope you like putting everyone down who isn't up to your standards. Maybe I was really a "pathetic little weakling" then but now I'm not like that. Even though I'm no longer the person you once knew, I'd like to let you know something: Betrayal hurts._

_Goodbye forever,  
__Mutou Yuugi_

_To Yami,_

_I was wondering whether you really cared or not. But I suppose you need someone, a slave, to do your work. Is that all I am to you? A slave in my own home? Ever since Grandpa died, you've been cruel to me. I don't even know what I did. I really didn't want to hurt, Yami, I really didn't. But obviously, I did something that you were displeased with. Apparently, I am a waste of your time and you don't need to bother protecting me anymore. All those promises, all those good times, they were all false. All those times you called me "partner" were fake. You never cared about me, that is now clear. I hope you have a nice life in hell, Yami. I'm never going to forgive you, so don't bother begging. Let me tell you something, Yami. The bullies came back. And you know what? They're in the form of Jounouchi and Honda. Just to let you know, betrayal hurts._

_Your hikari,  
__Mutou Yuugi_

Yami was battling inside of himself. One side wanted to find Yuugi and apologize constantly, but one side wanted to find Yuugi and torture him within an inch of his life. In the end, the bloodthirsty side won out. Yami looked up with promise swirling in his demonic eyes. Blood would be split, definitely. No way was Yuugi getting out of this. A pounding on the front door interrupted his thoughts.

"What do you want?" Yami asked Bakura and Marik who were standing at the door. Both Bakura and Marik were holding a piece of paper in their hands.

"They ran away." Bakura said flatly. No one but the yamis could detect the underlying venom in his voice.

"We'll just have to drag them back, kicking and screaming." Marik snarled. The other two instantly caught on. Each of the yamis and hikaris had an Item. The Darks had the original while the Lights had the duplicate. The Darks could use their Items to trace the position of their better halves. Unfortunately, it could only work if the Lights wanted to be found.

Each of them extended their arm, palm up. Purplish-black fire gathered in their palm. The fire was not hot, as normal fire is; it was cold, like ice. Their Items started glowing. Together, the Darks spread their consciousness to the limit, searching for their Lights.

Silence.

They were losing magic fast. Hurriedly, they spread their magic farther than they had ever gone before. The strain was getting to them but Yami felt a faint pulse of his Light's aura. Smirking in triumph, Yami detached his soul from his body. He used his own abilities to drag himself to his Light's soul room.

Yami leaned against the wall outside of Yuugi's soul room heavily. He knew using magic was draining but this was ridiculous. He blinked to clear his vision, darkness threatened to suck him in. Yami couldn't stay out of his body for long, he was alive and his soul couldn't stand the strain of being away from his body.

He entered Yuugi's soul room somewhat hesitantly. Yami mentally admitted he was afraid of what he would see in the room. What he didn't expect to see Yuugi clutching the Sennen Puzzle and sobbing his heart out. For a moment Yami was himself. He was the Yami that cared for his hikari, the one that promised to protect him for eternity.

"Why do you cry, Yuugi?" Yami asked softly. Yuugi stopped. He stiffened in surprise and looked up. Shakily, Yuugi stood and looked into Yami's eyes.

"What do you want from me now?" Yuugi hissed. Yami's eyes widened at the sheer hate in his voice. _He_ was the one who put it there. Yami remembered what he was here for. His eyes hardened. Ruby red eyes turned a dark garnet.

"I want you to come home."

"Home? What home? I have no home now, Yami. You took that from me. In fact, you took everything from me. I have nothing left but myself, my friends, and my talent."

"You either come willingly or I'll drag you back home." Yami threatened. Yuugi smirked uncharacteristically.

"I'm not every going home, ever. Domino doesn't need me any more. Tell you what, since you've been oh-so-nice to me. I'll give you a chance." Yuugi threw the Puzzle against the nearest wall. It shattered into its original pieces, just the way Yuugi got them nine years ago.

"You son of a…" Yami paused. Yuugi was shrouded in purplish-black flames. His eyes were closed. Yami stared. Yuugi's eyes shot open. Instead of pure amethyst eyes, they were blood red, the eyes of the devil. The flames shot toward Yami unexpectedly, catching him off guard.

Instantly, Yami felt agonizing pain shoot through his "body" He held back a scream that threatened to rip through his throat. How could Yuugi do that? Normally, pain didn't just come out of nowhere. There had to be a reason that Yuugi felt so much pain.

"Maybe now, Yami, you'll feel the pain and betrayal I felt during my abuse. I've also added the pain from all the beatings at school. Even though you'll feel all my pain, it'll never be close to what I felt. Goodbye forever, Yami." Yuugi hissed. Yami collapsed, physically and magically drained. He faded away as his soul fell back into his body.

Marik and Bakura waited for Yami to come back. They didn't have to wait very long. Yami's eyes flew open, searching for something that was long gone and never coming back.

"So you failed, didn't you?" Bakura drawled. Marik shook unsuppressed rage. Yami nodded miserably.

"Get out, I need to be alone." Yami ordered. Willingly, the two left the small house. Nothing there was worth stealing anyway. Yami stared into space, thinking of how dangerous Yuugi was back there. He could have killed Yami but he had sent him back. Maybe there still was compassion in the fragile heart. Maybe there was still hope.

Yami stood; he needed to get the old gang together to deliver the news. After all, they had a letter addressed to them. He gathered the letters and headed toward the phone. In exactly one hour, they would meet at Domino High.

**To Be Continued**

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YD: I've really got nothing to say. I have finals this week so updating will be delayed. Don't kill me.

HS: Reviews always cheer me up… You know what I'm implying, right?


	5. Complications

YD: I'm back and summer is here! Finals are finally over and now I'm free! School is nonexistent! Hope August doesn't come soon though...

HS: I think maybe someone dipped into the sugar… Scary, my yami is going to be bouncing off the walls again. She did this once in school, I had to absorb some sugar so my friends wouldn't be too scared. It takes a lot more sugar to make me sugar-high than my yami.

YD: Blah, blah, blah, you think you're so high and mighty, Sky.

Disclaimer: Ownership of Yuugiou will never be in my grasp… ever. The mean lawyers won't give it to me. (sobs)

* * *

**Chapter five, Complications**

Anzu, Jounouchi, and Honda read the goodbye letter once, twice, three times. Yami leaned against a tree, holding his letter. He waited patiently for the incompetent mortals to react. Unfortunately, his patience was wearing thin, extremely thin.

"How dare he?" Anzu shouted, her being the first to react. Yami could have sighed in relief, instead settling for focusing his attention on the other two that had yet to react.

"_Fat-ass bully?_" Honda screeched. Yami winced. Honda's voice sounded like nails grating on a chalkboard. Jounouchi just stared at the note.

"I never knew he would do something like this." Jounouchi said. He faced Yami. "You have a part in this too, I assume. Yuugi knows that he can go to you for anything. So what did you do?" Yami scoffed indifferently.

"He used to depend on me too much. I changed all that. I forced him to his feet and left his side. Already unbalanced from his grandfather's death, Yuugi toppled over. I never though he'd get up again. But those idiot Lights heaved him to his feet and brought balance back to him." Jou shrugged.

"You didn't answer my question." He pointed out. Yami scowled.

"I abused him. I did the same thing you and Honda do to the three Lights before, during, and after school." Jou stiffened. Every whimper, every plea, every scream of pain from the Lights hit him forcefully. He clapped his hands to his ears, trying to block out some of the sounds. Nothing could keep him from hearing every cry of anguish.

Yami watched Jou's reaction and suddenly felt a stabbing sensation at his side. He released a short cry of pain and grasped his side. Yami had been experiencing this pain ever since he was banished from Yuugi's soul room. The pain lasted for several more seconds until it faded. Yami had a theory as to how this pain kept coming back at him.

"_Maybe now, Yami, you'll feel the pain and betrayal I felt during my abuse. I've also added the pain from all the beatings at school. Even though you'll feel all my pain, it'll never be close to what I felt. Goodbye forever, Yami._"

Yuugi's words repeated over and over again in his mind. The curse would last for a while, that was for sure.

* * *

Meanwhile in Yuugi's soul room, he was on all fours, breathing hard. His red eyes slowly turned back into their original color of purple. Tears dropped onto the floor. All of the Puzzle's pieces lay on the floor as well, twinkling innocently. Yuugi could no longer hold the strain of staying off the floor and collapsed. That little magic trick took a lot out of him.

"Oh Yuugi, what did you do?" A familiar voice asked. Yuugi let a small smile creep onto his face. A hand intruded on his field of vision. Gratefully, Yuugi took the hand and was helped onto his feet.

"Hello, Mana. I guess I really shouldn't have done that. I feel so drained." The Black Magician Girl frowned sadly. Ever since Yuugi had been using Shadow Magic, he had awakened he more protective side of the Shadows. His Duel Monster friends protected him like Yami used to.

"Hikari no Pharaoh, you should go home. You won't survive long without him. Even though he hurt you, he's your other half. If you're separated from him too long you'll both suffer." Yuugi glared at her. Mana took a step back.

"I'm never going back, Mana." She sighed heavily, noting the look of hate in his eyes.

"Little hikari, I know you feel betrayed but that's no reason to lose your other half." Yuugi stayed silent, pondering her words. Mana waited patiently.

"Mana, do you remember when Yami played the Seal of Orichalcos?" Mana flinched, remembering the incident all too well. "I watched him sacrifice everyone. It would have never happened if I had just held on to him. He played the Seal to win. I watched him kill everyone, Mana. How do you think I felt?"

"…you're right, Yuugi. I understand what you feel. I only hope you return to Domino soon. I can't go with you. I'm already straining myself to reach you. Remember the Duel Monsters and come home soon." Mana smiled and faded away. Yuugi was left all alone before he returned to reality.

* * *

"I'll be fine!" Yami yelled, swatting away Anzu's hand. That little… Yami mentally sighed; this would take getting used to. Jounouchi and Honda were debating over the reason why Yuugi had left. 

"Can't you use magic or something like that?" Anzu questioned. Yami stared. How stupid could this girl be?

"Don't you think I would've tried that?" Yami asked exasperatedly. "I used the Puzzle to pull me toward him but Yuugi cursed me."

"What about the link you and Yuugi have?" Honda asked. Yami rolled his eyes. Honestly…

"I can't because when Yuugi cursed me, he shattered our link. I cannot contact him nor can he contact me." The annoyed yami explained.

"Well then how are we supposed to find him?" Jounouchi kicked the tree in frustration only ending up with a sore toe. "Damn…"

"We don't find him. He can't survive long out there. Pretty soon, he'll come home crying. Besides yami and hikari can't be apart for long or else everything gets unbalanced. Even though we're apart, we always have to maintain balance. The Lighter the Light the Darker the Dark. The Darker the Light the Lighter the Dark. Get it?"

"Whatever, Yami." Anzu said. Yami shrugged. Why waste time explaining such a simple thing to these pathetic humans?

* * *

"We will be landing soon so everyone please return to your seats and buckle up. Return all trays and seats to their original positions. Thank you for flying with us today." Captain Claire informed. 

"Well, time to start a new life." Malik said, letting his seat come back up from its current position.

"I know, we're finally free. I can't believe it was so easy though." Ryou stretched and yawned, brushing away white bangs.

"It was easy, wasn't it?" Yuugi flashbacked to what happened in his soul room. He decided not to mention it.

"Let's not concentrate on that now. We need to find a place to stay." Yuugi suggested. Malik frowned thoughtfully.

"I though we were going to find Professor Hopkins and Rebecca." Yuugi shook his head no.

"What if our yamis manage to trace us here? We can't risk putting them in danger. Besides, even if they don't talk, Yami can use the Sennen Eye like Pegasus did. We can't risk it. We've already come so far and can't turn back now."

"Very true, Yuugi. We just have to stick together till the end." Ryou flinched.

"Don't say that, Malik. You're jinxing us." Malik grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry, Ryou. I'm just saying the truth." Yuugi groaned and punched Malik's arm playfully.

"You dork. If it weren't for the fact that you're an excellent guitar player, you wouldn't even be here." Malik pouted.

"And I though you kept me for my good looks." Now it was Ryou's turn to groan.

"Shut up, Malik. You're so big-headed." Malik shrugged nonchalantly.

"It's what I do." The three looked at each other and laughed.

* * *

Yami tried hard to concentrate on the duel. His control was just slipping between his fingers like water. Good thing his opponent was an amateur so Yami won even though his mind was somewhere else. 

"People weren't kidding when they said you were unbeatable." His opponent congratulated. Yami nodded numbly and shook hands with his opponent. He walked outside, leaving his deck behind, and was instantly drenched. The rain reflected what he felt inside, cold, alone, and unloved. It seemed as if the sky was mourning with him.

Yami, hands in his pockets, started walking down the street, paying no attention to the falling rain. Instead of wearing his regular outfit of leather, Yami was wearing jeans and a T-shirt like Yuugi used to. _Yuugi… _A sigh escaped his lips.

"Damn it all to hell." Yami muttered. He wondered what life would be like if he hadn't abused Yuugi. What would it be like?

Without his knowledge, Yami found himself in the park. To be more precise, Yuugi's favorite spot in the park. He used to come here to be alone or to think. After Grandfather had died, this place died along with him. Yuugi and was the only person who regularly came. And without him, everything had lost their shine, a lot like Yuugi.

Without Yuugi, everything was falling apart. Yuugi was everything. And now that he was gone, Yami was without his Light, his salvation. Yuugi was the one who set him free and Yami had abused him as repayment. Oh he truly deserved to rot in the lowest pit in hell.

Yami sank to his knees. He deserved every bad thing that would happen to him. Pain wracked his body as the curse took control. He felt a burning pain on the side of his neck. Once it stopped, Yami lowered his collar and looked at his reflection in the pond. A bright red Eye glared at him; exactly similar to the one he had given Yuugi. The burning sensation and the chilling rain sent warnings throughout his body. Darkness overwhelmed him. His last thoughts were of Yuugi before all pain faded from his mind.

Atemu Yami was unconscious before he hit the ground.

* * *

Since Yuugi had completely destroyed and shattered their mind-link, Yuugi felt nothing. He knew something happened but he couldn't feel anything. He felt shut out and torn apart. He really had not meant to cause the curse. It had just _happened_. Now he was complete cut off from his Duel Monster friends. If it weren't for them, Ryou, and Malik, Yuugi would have been broken and dead. 

"All right, since we can't let anyone know we're here, we'll post an ad in the paper for a pianist or someone who can play the keyboard. It would be an added bonus if they could sing as well." Ryou proposed. His friends agreed instantly.

"Excellent, Ryou. Let's finish writing the article and we'll worry about posting it later."

After the details were settled and everything else was eloquently described, Ryou, being the nicest one, called up the printers of the San Francisco newspaper. After sweet-talking them, Ryou hung up with a smile on his face.

"That was a piece of cake." He said smugly. Yuugi rolled his eyes. He hoped they wouldn't have to stay long. Every second here was putting the Professor and Rebecca in danger. Yuugi opened his cell phone and dialed a number. After three rings, Kaiba picked up.

"_Hello?_"

"Kaiba, this is Yuugi. We had a change in plans and we're in San Francisco, California. Can you get us a hotel?"

"_Fine._" There was a moment of silence. "_I've got you a room at _The SeaDragon. _It's the best there is. You can't miss it so I won't bother giving you directions._"

"Thanks, Kaiba."

"_No problem._" He hung up. Yuugi closed his phone and nodded.

* * *

Yami was surrounded in darkness. Slowly, he stood up, not wanting to aggravate his body anymore. The place seemed oddly familiar. Where the hell was he? 

"Master, you do not know the severity of the situation you and your Light have created. You both have disrupted a precious balance." Yami froze. That voice seemed so familiar… Then suddenly he could name the mysterious voice.

"Mahaado!" A light shined dimly, creating an eerie feeling.

"Yes, Master. It is I. You and your Light are in danger. By killing your link, you have made each other vulnerable. Every day that goes by, you both will feel a little more drained. You're going to be killed."

"What?"

"You. Are. Going. To. Be. Killed." Mana interjected. "Can I make it any clearer?"

"By separating, you have disrupted your balance. Dark and Light. Black and White. Yami and Hikari."

"Do you mean that Bakura, Marik, Yuugi, Ryou, Malik, and I are all going to die?"

"If your link is not repaired by three years, you will die, Master." Mahaado informed.

"Oh shit, this just puts more pressure on me to find my Light."

"Good luck, Pharaoh. Remember, you have only three years."

With that, the Shadows faded away. Miles away, Mutou Yuugi awoke with a start. He stared at his hands. Could that dream really have been real? Were Yami and he going to die if their bond was not reconstructed?

"Damn it." Yuugi swore, "And here I was, hoping I'd never have to see him again!"

**To Be Continued**

**

* * *

**

YD: Sorry, I'd been busy. I finally saw Star Wars III today. I think it was more of a filler chapter rather than a big impact on the plot. But it was depressing!

HS: Well, I'll try to update soon if you review.


	6. Fallen Angels

YD: Now that I have posted my new one-shot, I can go back to this story.

HS: Whee, I hope this fic goes far. I really like it.

Disclaimer: Don't own so don't sue!

* * *

**Chapter six, Fallen Angels**

Yuugi scanned the paper for the article they had put in the previous day. He found it and called his friends. Ryou and Malik looked at it and high-fived.

"I love it!"

"I just hope we'll get a call soon." Yuugi remarked. Almost instantly, his cell phone rang. Malik winked at him. Ryou shrugged.

"Coincidence." Yuugi opened his cell phone.

"Hello?"

"_Hello, I'm calling for a job offer I saw in the paper this morning. It said that you were looking for a pianist? I'm Likika Kanashii._"

"Yes, maybe we could meet somewhere and talk. How is Starbucks at 2?" (Don't own Starbucks!)

"_Excellent. I'll see you at two._"

"Bye then." Yuugi turned to his waiting friends.

"Well? What's the news?" Ryou asked impatiently. Yuugi smiled slightly, amused by Ryou's irritation.

"We're going to meet Likika Kanashii at Starbucks in five hours."

"Awesome, we are so going to get rich!" Malik high-fived Yuugi. Ryou rolled his eyes.

"Ever heard the saying, 'Don't count your chickens before they hatch?' You're jinxing us." Malik had the decency to look guilty.

"Sorry?" He shrugged sheepishly. Ryou groaned and punched Malik playfully.

"You idiot." Yuugi scolded. "Come on, let's prepare."

* * *

Yami watched as Bakura and Marik soaked up the information he had just told them. Marik sighed in exasperation. 

"Stupid Light is causing more trouble." Marik growled. Bakura cracked his knuckles threateningly.

"I just got a new life and I'm sure as hell not letting my idiot hikari ruin it for me. So what's the plan, Pharaoh?" Yami stared incredulously at them. Why did they always think he had a plan?

"Plan? My plan is to wait till out Lights run low on rebelliousness and come running home. Or we could just go threaten Kaiba." Yami grinned.

"Let's go then." The trio smirked and started for the Kaiba mansion. They would need little Kaiba Mokuba to bring about the fall of his older brother.

"I like it. Let's go get the little Kaiba brat." The Eye glowed faintly on each of their foreheads. The Eye on Yami's neck throbbed painfully. Yami gritted his teeth together and stayed silent. _Idiot hikari…_

"When I get my hands on my hikari…" Bakura slashed his neck with his hand. Marik smirked evilly.

"As soon as my Light gets in my range of magic, he'll spend the rest of his miserable life in the Shadow Realm."

"…I don't know what I'll do to my hikari yet." Yami admitted.

* * *

Yuugi had gotten four more calls. One from Arashi, Tai Menie, Carmina Anna, and Cydney. He had asked them all to meet at Starbucks at two. 

Ryou, Malik, and Yuugi were now sitting in front of five very eager people. Yuugi sipped his coffee.

"So, now that we've all gotten to know each other, why don't we see how well you play." Malik stood. "Follow me."

They walked for five minutes to get to the building where they were going to play. Arashi went up first. She was okay and her singing was nice but… no.

Cydney was a good pianist. He didn't sing at all though. Maybe…

Carmina was a fine singer but not that good of a pianist. No.

Tai was an excellent singer. His piano skills were good but he sometimes stumbled.

Likika went up last. Her singer was perfect and her skills on the piano outstripped the others. Definitely a winning candidate. Sorry Cydney.

Ryou shook hands with the others while Malik welcomed Likika to the band. Yuugi stared at the person at the doorway with a horrified look on his face.

"Darling! How come you never came to see us?" Yuugi backed up slowly from the nine year old. Rebecca smiled brightly and ran towards her "darling" Yuugi. Malik snickered behind his hand as Rebecca hugged the life out of Yuugi. Ryou anime sweatdropped.

"Hello, Rebecca." Yuugi managed to pry her hands away from his body. Rebecca looked around. She saw Likika and assumed the worst.

"You're dating someone? How could you, darling? I though I was your girlfriend!" Yuugi grimaced. Likika laughed.

"I'm 22, Rebecca. Yuugi is 17. That's a five year age gap. Anyways, I don't plan on dating anytime soon."

"Rebecca is nine. That's an eight year age gap." Ryou pointed out. Rebecca pouted. She looked at Yuugi with puppy-dog eyes.

"Does that mean you don't love me?" Malik rolled his eyes. Yuugi tried not to.

"I don't love you. Besides, puppy-dog eyes don't work on me." Rebecca's lower lip trembled. Yuugi sighed in annoyance. Rebecca took it as a sigh of defeat. She shot forward and hugged him tightly.

"Anyways, where is the rest of the gang?" Yuugi stiffened.

"They're back in Domino. We came without them." Yuugi tried not to let any malice slip into his voice. Rebecca still sensed it.

"What's wrong, darling?" Yuugi released himself from her grip. He turned to his friends.

"Let's go. We've already been here too long." They nodded. Rebecca tried to hold Yuugi back. He dodged her easily. "Goodbye, Rebecca. You're better off if you didn't know anything."

"Bye, Rebecca." Ryou called over his shoulder. The door slammed shut. Rebecca was left all alone with a million thoughts swirling in her mind. Tears fell from her eyes as she recalled the last look in Yuugi's eyes as he left.

* * *

Yami searched the mansion with his magic and found no trace of Kaiba Mokuba. That is saying a lot since nothing escapes Shadow Magic. Bakura had the same results. Marik voiced what everyone was thinking. 

"Kaiba knows."

The trio smirked at each other. This would certainly prove interesting. Bakura nodded. Yami pulled the Sennen Eye from his neck. No way was he going to stick the Eye in his! So Yami designed a chain to hold the Eye.

"So let's go find out where out Lights are." Marik offered. Bakura grinned insanely.

"Yes, let's." The trio set out for the one place they knew Kaiba would be, Kaiba Corporations.

Bakura made sure all his knives were in place. "Let's go find out where out Lights are."

* * *

The four band members pooled their money. They had enough for a plane ride to Britain for four people in economy class. 

"Good thing I bought a place so we won't have to spend too much staying there." Ryou said. Yuugi smiled.

"We need a band name for our little group. Our old name wouldn't work since _they_ know it." Malik suggested.

"How about _Alone_?" Likika asked.

"What about _Broken Spirit_?" Ryou offered. Yuugi stayed silent.

"I like _Fallen Angels_."

"Forget my idea, I love that name!" Likika whispered/shouted. The other two nodded in agreement.

"_Fallen Angels_ it is then."

"Guys, now that we're all friends. Will you tell me why you ran away?" Yuugi winced and glanced at her at the corner of his eyes.

"Likika, how did you know that?" She shrugged.

"I guessed. Plus, all the signs were pointing to that conclusion." Ryou sighed.

"We trust you. Our best friends, the people we gave the most turned on us. They stole our lives and destroyed our trust. The worst part of it was, they abused us. The only thing we could think of was to run away."

"It must have been horrible!" Malik nodded. Yuugi still didn't look at them.

"It hit Yuugi hardest because he had given everything to his friend. Yuugi put complete trust into his friend. His betrayal absolutely crushed him. If it weren't for us, Yuugi would have died." Likika stared at Yuugi.

"I cut myself." Yuugi explained, still not looking at them.

"I understand what you went through. I was a runaway too." Yuugi turned, just a bit.

"Go on." He urged. Likika took a breath.

"My parents pushed to the limit. I couldn't handle all the stress. Everyone hated me because I was teacher's pet. Bullies constantly picked on me. I usually refused the orders they gave me." Likika sighed. "I told my parents but they didn't care. The only thing they did care about was if I was top of the class."

"Anything else?" Malik asked. Likika nodded.

"When I ran away, I was 16 years old, younger than you were. I continued going to school on the money I earned working in a restaurant. I spent two years hiding. It's illegal to run away, you know."

"I know, Likika. We have to lay low for one year. That's all." Yuugi turned around fully. Tears trickled down from his eyes.

"Like I said, Likika, Yuugi's friend's betrayal hit him hardest." Ryou wrapped his arm around his shoulders.

"He's the most vulnerable to heart-ache." Malik added. Yuugi tried to glare at him but failed miserably.

"Don't worry about it, Yuugi. Someday your idiot friend will regret everything he did to you."

* * *

Yami glared fiercely at Kaiba. Mokuba hid behind his brother. 

"I don't know where they are." Kaiba said firmly. Bakura glared at Mokuba who shrank back from that haunting promise in his eyes. He was truly Shadow Realm obsessed. Marik finally had enough of this glaring contest that was getting them no where. He raised his Item and pointed it at Mokuba.

"Don't you dare!" Kaiba shouted. Yami had long ago sealed the room so no sound escaped. Marik smirked.

"Tell us what you know about the location of our Lights." Kaiba growled and tightened his grip on Mokuba.

"I know nothing!" Yami grinned.

"I had hoped it would come to this." The Sennen Eye glowed around his neck. If possible, Yami's eyes became swirling orbs of blood. (cliché but it's true) Mokuba whimpered inaudibly as he recalled what Pegasus did to him with that Item. Kaiba glared fiercely.

"Tell us or I won't hesitate to kill him." Bakura said, pointing at Mokuba. Kaiba was caught in a jam. Should he reveal the location or risk losing Mokuba?

"Leave him out of this. Your problem is with me, settle it with me!"

"Wrong answer." Marik retaliated. Yami smiled insanely and Mokuba collapsed into his brother's arms, eyes wide and unseeing. Kaiba grimaced.

"What the hell did you do to him?" Malice dominated Kaiba's voice. Yami shrugged.

"I dunno. Tell me where our Lights are and maybe I'll return him."

"Last I checked, they were in San Francisco." Kaiba said through gritted teeth. If they were smart, the trio would've already left. Yuugi would've thought of it. Their only chance was to get out of there before the Darks came.

"See, Kaiba? That wasn't so hard?" Yami waved a hand lazily and Mokuba blinked.

"Nii-sama, what happened?"

"I'll tell you later, kid." The Darks left the office, now on to threaten some three people headed for San Francisco.

"Is Yuugi going to be okay?"

"I don't know, Mokuba. I truly don't know."

Malik awoke with a start. He breathed deeply. It was just a dream right? The Darks didn't threaten the Kaibas. Did they? He looked at his friends. Yuugi was leaning on Ryou's shoulder, asleep. Likika had the window seat so she leaned on the wall. Ryou was leaning on her.

"No matter what, I will make sure the Darks don't find us." Malik swore vehemently.

**To Be Continued**

**

* * *

**

YD: I'm entirely sorry for the long wait. My computer is dying so I had to move all my files to another. And then the computer I'm currently on, someone uses all day. Stupid computer, what a perfect time to break down.

HS: Yup, she's mad. Can you tell?

YD: SHUT UP!

HS: I rest my case. Review please!


	7. Desperation

YD: Hello peoples. I am very sorry for the horrendously long wait. I truly am.

HS: I have orchestra camp, swimming, algebra class, and piano lessons. I'm a little tired from all this running around.

* * *

**Chapter seven, Desperation**

They had long since given up. No one seemed to know where they were. So the Darks stopped trying. But the three knew their Lights were still alive. Somewhere out in the world, the three Lights were alive.

After two years, Yami was starting to get worried. Not for his Light, but for his life. Mahaddo had said he only had three years. Now he only had one measly year left. Was he going to die just because Yuugi had shattered their link?

"So what do you propose we do?" Bakura asked, kicking back. "It's not like our Lights will come waltzing through the door, begging for forgiveness." Marik rolled his eyes.

"They'll come back. Just wait, you know they will."

"I know. But I still can't shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong." Yami tried to shake off that nagging feeling but it would desist.

"So what?" Yami sighed.

"Come on, let's get back to school. Our classes start soon." Now it was Bakura's turn to roll his eyes.

"Do you think I care about those dumb-ass classes?"

"Do you think I care about you ten years later, living on the streets?" Yami retorted. Bakura bristled. Marik smirked.

"The thief got told. The thief got told. The thief got told." He taunted. Bakura aimed a punch at Marik. Yami caught the fist and twisted it.

"Let's go." Bakura scowled darkly. Yami released the ex-thief's wrist.

* * *

"I still don't see why we have to go to college. We're perfectly capable of making enough money just being ourselves." Akuii Kaen complained. 

"Shut up. Don't be an asshole. Do you think we'll stay on the top of the charts forever?" Takal Kiun replied, hitting Akuii on the head.

"Both of you shut up. You're giving me and Likika a headache." Ikarii Tsukai ordered, clutching his head.

"So take an Advil. Don't bitch about it to us. We're supposed to be your friends!" Ikarii waved his friends away.

"Stop. I'm going to need my fully strength if we're going to face a bunch of idiots."

"Not really. Domino College of math and science is the best in Japan. Only the best attend." Takal informed. Ikarii groaned.

"Shit."

"Now, now, boys. You need to watch your language. Just because we're rich, doesn't mean that you get to curse so damn much."

"Hypocrite." Akuii remarked. Likika hit the 19-year-old on the head with several books. You should start to get over there. Classes start in an hour. Akuii rubbed his head and mock-glared at Likika.

"Bitch." Likika's silver eyes flashed. Next thing that Akuii knew, he was on the floor.

"I take that back."

"Good. Now get out of here." Ikarii, Takal, and Akuii gathered their books and headed for their Honda Insight hybrid car.

"I'm driving." Ikarii yelled as he ran for the car.

"Shotgun!" Takal called.

"No fair!" Akuii complained again.

* * *

"Class, we have three new students joining us today. They're all the way from London." 

"I bet they're nerds and look it too." Marik whispered. Bakura chuckled.

"We got in here. Does that mean we're nerds too?" Yami asked stiffly. That nagging feeling was really strong now.

"Yeah but we don't look it." Bakura added. Yami shrugged and turned back to the front of the class.

"Please welcome Ikarii Tsukai, Akuii Kaen, and Takal Kiun." Three boys stepped into the classroom. Yami, Bakura, and Marik stopped cold. All three felt an enormous tugging sensation. They struggled to get their magics under control.

Yami took a good look at all three new boys.

Takal looked normal enough. He was wearing a green long-sleeve shirt. The material looked thin but it was not see-through. White pants clung to his legs, showing off his thin legs. On his right wrist, a winged armband stood out. The wings were small and white. Around his neck there was a white choker that said something but Yami didn't pay attention to it. His eyes were a normal color of brown. His hair… it was pure white. Odd color of hair, actually.

Akuii looked different. His skin was tanned and his hair was platinum blonde. A gray-winged armband was around his right wrist. His eyes were lighter than Ikarii's. They were the color of pale lavender. His pants were black with flame-like red under his knee. A red top had silver letters that said "Back off" Akuii also had a gray choker. He looked like the oldest of the three.

Ikarii was wearing black jeans with silver chains. A red belt hung low across his hips, more for show than to hold the jeans up. A dark blue sleeveless was semi-tight but not too tight. The shirt showed off his creamy skin. On his right wrist, a winged armband stood out. The wings were small and completely black. Around his neck there was a similar colored choker that had a word on it but Yami didn't see it. Ikarii's hair was completely black as well. It ended one inch below his ears. What was most interesting about him were his eyes. They were slanted, and were a very interesting color. And they were glaring right at Yami. Those eyes… those murderous amethyst eyes.

There was only one time he had seen someone glare at him with that intensity. It was around two years ago. Yami inwardly cringed. Was he finally back?

"Do you have anything to say?"

"I have only one thing to say. Betrayal hurts." Yami swore he thought his heart stopped. Those words echoed in his mind over and over again. Wait… this punk couldn't be.

"Ahh, that's very interesting, Tsukai-kun."

"No." Yami stood. Ikarii never removed his glare on Yami. "Explain yourself, _Ikarii_."

"I don't think you really deserve that privilege, _Yami_. Do you really think I'd tell you?" Yami was about to reply when the teacher interrupted.

"That's enough. You three, sit in the empty desks in the back."

* * *

The class ended finally after one and a half hours of complete and utter boredom. As soon as the bell rang, the college students quickly left. The Darks hung back to see where the newbies would go. 

"Do you think they know? Do you think they suspect something?" Ikarii asked nervously. "I shouldn't have said that but it was so tempting. Did you see the look on the bastard's face?"

"I don't think they know a thing. Dense idiots, the lot of them."

"Can you leave me alone for a while? I need to get some peace and quiet. I'll meet you at the next class." Akuii and Takal left their friend under the tree. Ikarii looked at lot less threatening with his guard down.

"Hey newbie!" Ikarii mentally groaned. Not him, not now.

"What the hell do you want from me now?"

"Who are you?" Yami asked.

"Ikarii Tsukai. The teacher introduced us when we stepped in. Or do you suffer from short term memory loss?" Ikarii taunted.

"You're not Ikarii. Your name is Mutou Yuugi."

Ikarii stood. "You know nothing about me. Don't try and assume something you can't prove." He said icily.

"Don't deny it, Yuugi. I know it's you."

"You baka. Do you not understand? Yuugi is not ever coming back. He's dead." Yami blanched.

"That's not true! I would have felt it!"

"Is that so? I don't think that's 100 percent true at all." Yami's eyes burned with hatred. Black flames gathered in his palm. Ikarii's reaction was strange. His eyes grew wide and he settled for the look of contempt.

"Do you know why he's dead?" A barely noticeable shield snaked around Ikarii. "He's dead because I killed him!"

"MIND CRUSH!" The flames leapt at Ikarii, who did not move at all. All he did was stare blissfully at the black flames. They washed over him and…

Yami breathed heavily. How could he have lost his temper like that!

"You really shouldn't have done that." Yami froze. "Shadow magic has no effect on me. I can fight against its power."

"Who are you?"

"A normal 19-year-old boy who just bested an old Pharaoh by the name of Atemu Yami."

A stunned Yami watched Ikarii walk away from him. A little piece of himself followed after him. Something was pulling him toward Ikarii and Yami did not like it one bit. He needed to find more info on this kid. Not many people could through off a Shadow magic attack.

**To Be Continued**

* * *

YD: Hugs and chocolates to all my lovely reviewers. I love you all!

HS: I'll update as soon as I can! You just do your part and review!

Note one: I do not own Advil. I also have no idea if there is a college like that. I made it all up.

Note two: Akuii, Ikarii, and Takal are not OCs. However, I do own their names.

Note three: This is not a boy x boy.

Something to think about: What happened to Fallen Angels? Where are Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik? Go back and reread the chapter. If anyone can figure out where the three are, I'll dedicate the next chapter for them.

If anyone would like to be in the story, please leave your name in the review. A big event is coming up soon. You could be in it!


	8. Deception

YD: I'm sorry! I'm really sorry that there hasn't been an update recently. I just couldn't piece together the events of the plot.

HS: I'm sure you want to read the chapter so I'll shut up and let you read.

YD: Okay, so a few people figured it out and even less left their names. Congratulations to those who did figure it out.

Chapter dedicated to:

shadow kurai  
Feebeefi  
– glomps Yuugi –  
My PenName is . . .  
Primevera Took  
Kai Minomono  
ObsessedWithYugioh  
Kat1132  
Kishiro Kitsune

HS: I tried to make it not so obvious. But… I obviously failed. Heh. I gotta try better next time.

YD: So, on with chapter eight.

* * *

**Chapter eight, Deception**

"I lost my temper and just threw my magic at him. But it didn't affect him at all!" Bakura shrugged.

"Maybe that kid is a Shadow user. I dunno and I really don't care."

"Well, if he is a Shadow user I would have felt it. All three of us would have felt the presence of a Shadow user. After all, we are Shadow masters." Yami shot back.

"But remember when the three walked in? I felt a tugging sensation. Can you explain that?" Marik asked.

"I don't know! I felt it as well. It was a strange feeling. Almost like something was pulling at my soul. There's something weird about those three and I want to find out what."

"If ya want to find out, ask Kaiba. Ask him to pull up info on them." Bakura suggested. He played with a small knife. "I don't know why you're so worked up about this." Yami turned on him.

"We have one more year until we die, bakayaro. Do you want to find your Light and live? Or do you want to forget about them and die? Your choice."

"All right, all right. I'll help. Let's go convince Kaiba to help us." Marik grinned, his eyes lighting up.

"Can I bring my new knives?"

Yami sighed. "No you may not."

* * *

"I don't know that much about Ikarii and his friends." Kaiba snarled. Yami smirked.

"Well, tell us what you do know, Oh-Mighty-Kaiba." Kaiba scowled at the title.

"Ikaii, Akuii, and Takal were runaways. They met Likika and started a band. The three boys were only 17 at the time. Likika was 22. Ikaii and Takal sing and dance, Akuii plays the guitar, and Likika plays the piano and the keyboard. They've been at the top of the charts for two years."

"Isn't it strange that those three were seventeen and started a band right after our Lights left?" Bakura asked.

"It's just a coincidence." Kaiba replied, looking indifferent.

* * *

"Is everything ready?" Ikarii asked, straightening his choker. "It's almost time to get up on stage and give everyone a show."

"Yup, everything is here and we're all ready." Takal answered. Akuii tuned his instrument carefully.

"Perfect. Now let's get out there and rock this club!" The gang smirked and high-fived each other. Likika nodded to the owner of Dragon's Heart.

"I would like to proudly introduce the number one band, Fallen Angels!" The crowd cheered loudly, everyone was here to see them perform.

Akuii smirked at the audience. A few fangirls sighed happily.

"Are you all ready for a good time?" Akuii shouted. The reply was thunderous. "All right, then!"

"_Thrown out of my own home  
__I got no place to go  
__No one out there beside me  
__No one back home to love me_" Ikarii's voice rang out while Akuii's guitar played in the background.

"_I go around and around  
__Circling the globe  
__Searching for someone  
__Someone to love_" Takal breathed out the lyrics softly, yet every person could hear him clearly.

"_Someone who'll care  
__Someone I'll love  
__But no one's there  
__But I'll keep searching  
__Maybe I'll find someone… someday_"

"_Someday, somewhere  
__I'll find someone to love who loves me too  
__Till then, I'll keep searching  
__Searching for love  
__I'll find it someday, somewhere_" Ikarii and Takal sang the chorus together. Barely noticeable, Likika played softly.

"Doesn't this seem familiar?" Yami asked quietly. Instead of Ikarii he saw singing, he imagined Yuugi on the stage in Ikarii's place. They looked so alike, yet so different. Was Yuugi really dead?

"They really are talented, aren't they?" Marik asked.

"Yes… they are." A new voice replied. Marik turned.

"Who are you?"

"You can call me Killah. I don't usually divulge my name to complete strangers." Marik raised an eyebrow.

"Nice to meet you. The name's Marik."

"Oh, I know about you. You abused your hikari and drove him away. Listen to the lyrics. You'll find that your Lights are closer than you think." Marik turned to Bakura to tell him of this information. Once he returned his attention to Killah, she was gone.

"_Someone who'll care  
__Someone I'll love  
__But no one's there  
__But I'll keep searching  
__Maybe I'll find someone… someday_"

"_Someday, somewhere  
__'ll find someone to love who loves me too  
__Till then, I'll keep searching  
__Searching for love  
__I'll find it someday, somewhere_" Likika played her solo and the song ended.

"Everyone here, you have just now heard our newest song, _Someone, Someday, Somewhere_." Malik informed the stunned crowd. He smiled/smirked. "Didja like it?" Bye the intensity of the applause, it was apparent that they did.

_Fallen Angels_ preformed more songs like, _All Alone_, _Goodbye Forever_, _In the Skies_, and _Losing Track_. The crowd loved every single moment of the concert. And so did the four friends up on stage. It was always so fun, playing together.

Yami, Bakura, and Marik silently slipped through the _Employees Only_ door. Everyone else was captivated by songs _Fallen Angels_ were playing.

"We just have to meet them." Yami said, clenching his fists.

"Don't we see them at school?" Marik pointed out.

"Yes, but I want to catch them off guard." Yami explained. Bakura only half-listened. He was busy watching the band from the sidelines. They bowed and began moving towards where the Darks were.

"That was awesome! Did you see the way the crowd reacted to our newest song? We have to ask Lissa to record that for us!" Ikarii high-fived his friends in excitement. He didn't notice Yami standing by the wall, watching him. Yami saw the happiness in Ikarii's eyes, the way he smiled… it was the same.

"What are you doing here?" A cold voice asked, Akuii. "Apparently, you can't read either. It says _Employees Only_ on that door."

"Akuii, don't be so rude." Likika admonished.

"No, Likika, he has every right to be. Remember what we told you when we first met? That's them." Ikarii said. He glared at Yami fiercely. Likika gasped.

"You can't be serious!"

"But we are, Likika." Takal confirmed her suspicions. He stared hatefully at Bakura. Akuii gave Marik the evil eye.

Close up, Yami noticed some details that escaped him the first time he saw the trio. Their chokers had words on them. Now Yami could see what they said.

Akuii's choker spelt out Egypt. Takal's choker had Forgotten upon it. Likika had Runaway written on her choker. The word Duel adorned Ikarii's choker.

"Yuugi…" Yami breathed out. Ikarii smirked.

"Yuugi is dead, remember?" Yami reached out to grab Ikarii. He was fast… but Ikarii had taken karate. He twisted out of Yami's reach. "My, my, my, you have gotten slow." Ikarii taunted. Yami growled in response.

"Ikarii… be careful." Takal whispered.

"I'm always." Ikarii left his wrist out purposefully. Yami grabbed it before Ikarii could move away again. Ikarii's eyes flickered in triumph. So far, Yami was falling for his trap.

"So what are you going to do now?" Ikarii was pressed against Yami's body. Despite looking helpless, he still maintained that cold, calm voice. Yami pulled a knife from its sheath.

"Maybe kill you." Yami hissed.

"You might have a problem with that." Even faced with the possibility of death, Ikarii was still calm. It annoyed Yami to no end.

"Is there anything you fear?"

"I fear what you think of me when you remove my choker." Almost transparently, a single tear slid down his face. Still holding the knife, Yami slowly released the choker. It fell to the floor but all Yami's attention was now on what the choker covered up. Now that it was gone, Ikarii's scar, the Sennen Eye, was exposed to everyone in the room. Yami's knife dropped from his hand.

"It… it really is you." Yami backed away and hit the wall. Ikarii picked up the knife Yami dropped and twirled it with his fingers.

"Yeah… I came back." Bakura and Marik looked over at Takal and Akuii, realizing who they must be.

"Aibou… are you going to kill me?" Yuugi's eyes flared up in anger. He threw the knife at Yami but it punched through the wall centimeters from his body.

"Never call me that. I ceased being your partner years ago." The hatred in his voice was so apparent. Yuugi used to be so pure, he could never hate anyone. But Yami changed all of that. The impact of the situation finally hit him.

"Yuugi, hikari, please, come back to me. I promise I'll never lay a hand on you again without your permission. I'll do anything… just come back. I feel so lost without you." Shadow magic surrounded Yami and the Black Magician came forth.

"Young master, it is wise you do as he wishes."

"Mahaddo, you were a great friend but I'm through taking orders. Especially orders from that piece of filth you call Master." Yuugi snarled. Magic surrounded Yami once more and Black Magician Girl was summoned.

"Hikari no Pharaoh, welcome back."

"Mana…" Mahaado went to remove the knife from the wall. He gave it to Yami, who stood.

"I'm sorry Yuugi… for everything." Yami threw the knife at Yuugi's feet. "Just kill me, Yuugi. I don't want to life if you hate me." Yuugi retrieved the knife. His Dark kept watching him closely.

"This is for all those years of abuse." Yami closed his eyes, not wanting to see the knife thrown at him. But it never came. Hesitantly, Yami opened his eyes. What he saw shocked him. Blood dripped from the cut in Yuugi's wrist.

"This is for you not realizing that I wanted love." Before anyone could react, Yuugi slashed his other wrist.

"YUUGI!" Five people shouted his name at the same time. His three friends moved toward him while Mana and Yami healed the wounds. Yuugi's eyes flashed again. He pressed his bloody wrist against Yami's mouth.

"Go on, Yami… taste my blood. After all, you said yourself it tastes good." There was nothing else but panic in Yami's expression. Slowly, he pushed Yuugi's wrist away and wiped the blood away from his mouth. But he still tasted it. And though he hated to admit it, he liked the taste. Sweet, sweet, blood with that coppery taste. Yami still liked it.

"Yuugi, what were you thinking!" Ryou yelled at him. Malik and Likika dragged him away from Yami.

"We won, guys. Let's go home."

"But Yuugi, you are home. Ryou, Malik, this is your home too."

"We came back only to reconnect the bond between Light and Dark. Now that we have, we can leave." Ryou informed. Bakura stared at his Light. He had changed so much. Ryou wasn't weak anymore.

Suddenly, a girl burst into the room. The occupants stared at her. She leaned against the door, breathing unsteadily. Yuugi stepped forward.

"May I help you?" Yami closed his eyes. So Yuugi was still kind… maybe someday Yuugi would forgive him.

"My name is Marilla. I'm a huge fan. May I please have an autograph of the _Fallen Angels_?" Yuugi smiled softly, so different from the way he glared at Yami.

"Of course." Each of the band members signed the slip of paper and Marilla left with a huge smile on her face.

"So you really are kind, aren't you, Yuugi? You just don't show it to people you… hate."

"Come on, guys. We can go back. I don't think the administration would mind too much. Let's go home."

"Excellent idea, Yuugi. I long for home, away from back-stabbing friends." Ryou sent one more look of hatred to Bakura.

"Lissa should be home by now. We'll go talk it out with her."

"Come on, ignore them, and let's go back to the apartment." Malik suggested. His friends nodded and they went out through the back door, not wanting to be swamped by fans. The three Darks stared after them.

"They'll leave tomorrow so we have to hurry." Marik said softly. His Light had changed so much it startled him.

"We have to follow them." Bakura ordered. Yami went along with them silently.

"I'll be with you guys later, okay? I… I want to be alone for a while." His friends agreed and they headed back together. Yuugi went his own way to the park.

His secret place looked untouched by humans. The moonlight bathed the place. It looked magnificent. Yuugi looked at his reflection in the pond. A depressed teenager looked back at him. In a sea of beauty, one person stands out. Angrily, Yuugi punched his reflection in the water.

"Yuugi…" The addressed teen didn't even turn. He knew who it was.

"What do you want from me now, Yami? Haven't you taken enough already?" Yami sat next to his Light. Yuugi made no move to get away.

"Isn't this place beautiful? After you had stopped coming, this place had fallen into ruin. After you left Domino, I came here. I had to keep something of yours alive for when you came home."

"Why did you use me?" Came the broken reply. "Why did you just cast me aside when you got your own body?"

"Yuugi… I"

"Was I worth so little to you?" For the first time in years, Yuugi completely broke down and cried.

"I'm sorry, Yuugi. I can't change the past but I can change the way I treat you now." Yami leaned down and embraced his better half. Yuugi cried into his shoulder. "I promise never to neglect you again. I swear it on the Puzzle."

**To Be Continued**

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Disclaimer: Those lyrics things… I own them. That's why they were so sucky. I can't write songs. I don't own Yuugiou at all. No blood was split in the making of this chapter.

YD: Oooookkkkkaaaaayyyy. I am really sorry for the long wait. But I finally finished this chapter! Yay!

HS: Well… my brother is waiting for me so I'd better go.

YD: Review please!


	9. Confrontation

YD: Completely and utterly bored, I present to you chapter nine.

HS: This chapter is dedicated to chibikuro rose-sama, cuz I left her out last time. Oops. Heheh. Sorry!

YD: Also, ObsessedWithYugioh's character, Lissa, has a part in this story now. Out of the three people who left their names, I chose one randomly. And ObsessedWithYugioh is da winner!

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**Chapter nine, Confrontation**

Yami didn't know how long Yuugi had been crying but he eventually stopped when he ran out of tears. They just sat together under the moonlight, completely silent. Yuugi was so exhausted by his mental breakdown; he fell asleep in Yami's arms.

More time passed in silence. Yami wondered what life would have been like if he had never neglected his Light. Yuugi wouldn't hate him and maybe the gang would still be together.

The tune of Fur Elise interrupted his thoughts. Oh yeah… cell phone. Yami checked his cell but it wasn't ringing. What? Yami found his Yuugi's cell phone in his pocket. So Yami and Yuugi had the same ring tone, eh?

"Hello?"

"_What? You aren't Yuugi? Why do you have—Yami! What are you doing with Yuugi's cell phone? Did you kidnap him or something? Haven't you caused enough damage in one lifetime? Or do you just need your Light back so badly that you have to kidnap him?_"

Yami winced. Those words stung… "Ryou? I didn't kidnap him. We just… met."

"_So why didn't Yuugi answer his own phone?_"

"He's preoccupied, currently."

"_Do you realize what time it is? Bring him home!_"

"I don't know where you live!"

There was a sigh. And Ryou told him their address. Yami promised that he would bring Yuugi home. And they terminated the conversation. Yami looked at his Light lovingly. He looked like Yuugi before when he was sleeping. Slipping the phone back into Yuugi's pocket, Yami picked him up bridal style.

"Come on, aibou, let's get you home."

Yuugi answered by curling up closer to Yami and sighing. Yami himself couldn't help but think, KAWAII! He smiled and continued on.

Back at the house, Yuugi's friends were worrying. Malik was pacing and muttering things under his breath. Ryou was glancing at the door every few seconds.

"What if Yami hurt him? We never should have let Yuugi go off by himself, especially since this is were his ex-friends live!" Ryou hated putting one of his friends in danger.

"All right. I've had enough. I'm going to go look for him." Lissa exclaimed. And the doorbell rang.

Likika jumped out of her seat to answer it. Yami stood there with Yuugi in his arms. Likika carried Yuugi to the couch and gently lay him down. Yami noticed another girl in the room. She had long, straight brown hair and was wearing tan cargo pants with a baby blue T-shirt. Her tennis shoes had her friend's signatures on them. He saw Yuugi's on the side.

Chocolate brown eyes glared at him. "The name is Lissa and I'd appreciate it if you'd stop staring at me." Yami snapped out of his trance and quickly looked away. Lissa rolled her eyes.

"Ok, he's here. Goodbye!" Malik moved to close the door but Yami stopped it with his hand.

"I know what you're thinking. I didn't hurt him at all."

"Is that so? And how can we trust you? How can you expect us to trust you?" Malik hissed.

"I don't want to hurt him anymore. Yuugi is better off without me anyways."

"You're years too late for that, you realize?" Malik said coldly. "Remember all the times you cast Yuugi aside to win?"

Yami winced. Everyone seemed to know how to make him uncomfortable.

"Remember that duel with Kaiba in Duelist Kingdom? Remember the Orichalcos? And your most recent failure? Yuugi trusted you! Even after all the time you let him down, he still trusted you!" Malik took a breath and leaned against the wall, allowing Yami to enter.

"I realize that I haven't been the best lately. I just don't want to hurt him anymore. He deserves so much more."

"If it were me, Yami no Yuugi, you would've lost my trust long ago. When you abused him, you broke his heart. _You_ shattered the bond, not Yuugi. _You_ made him hate you." Ryou informed coldly.

"Let me tell you a secret, Yami." Likika said. "Yuugi wants to forgive you. Did you know that? He wants to let you back into his life. But he's scared of getting hurt again. He's scared of having someone break through his emotional barrier and hurt him."

"Yami…" A soft voice called. The four immediately turned toward Yuugi. He still looked exhausted and was gripping the couch to keep steady.

Yami gulped. Something was going to happen, he was sure of it. "Y-yes, ai—Yuugi?"

"Do you realize they're absolutely right? Every word they said. I do want to let you back into my life. But every promise you ever made to me was false. You eventually broke each promise. That's why I left. I left a sea of broken promises. Yami, betrayal really does hurt."

"Yami, please tell our Darks goodbye for us, all right?" Ryou looked away from Yami.

"I—I will. Good luck with your lives. I'll miss you, aibou." Yami wiped a tear away and left the apartment, closing the door with a soft click.

Yuugi sank to the floor. His friends gathered around him and offered small words of comfort. He was glad that they were there. And he said so.

"Don't worry about it." Yuugi released his grip on his bracelet. "I'm going to bed, guys."

"Bye, Yuugi." Yuugi nodded and started towards his room. The hallway seemed to stretch miles. After years, according to Yuugi, he finally got to his room. The Light fell asleep as soon as he collapsed on his bed.

"Maybe we should have never come to Domino." Lissa said, sitting on the couch with her friends. Ryou shook his head no.

"We had to. Or else Yuugi would have died."

"But ever since we came back, I've noticed that Yuugi is feeling depressed. And that's not like him!" Lissa looked at Likika for support.

"She's right, you know. Is there anything about Yuugi you guys didn't tell us? And what about when Yuugi slit his wrists back at the club?"

"He did what?" Lissa yelled. Ryou made a small face.

"Well, yes, there was one thing about Yuugi we never told you." The two girls stared at him, waiting for their explanation.

"He cut himself." Malik said outright. No use beating around the bush. (1) They would find out sooner or later. Lissa gasped. "But he always healed himself so he left no scars." Malik quickly added.

"Oh, poor Yuugi, Yami must have really hurt him. This just makes me hate those Darks more." Lissa played with a lock of her hair. "Come on, we should start packing. We'll leave on the next flight to London."

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_RING-RING-RING-RI-**CRASH**_

Good thing Likika had bought heavy-duty alarm clocks for everyone or else there would be a decommissioned clock right now. The door probably had a dent in it though. Yuugi held his head in pain and groaned. Headache! At least he didn't have school today. It would be overkill if he did have to sit in a building for hours, completely bored.

Yuugi showered and dressed, hair still wet. He wore black jeans and a blood-red shirt that showed off his body. The words, Bloody soul, adorned the shirt in dripping black letters.

"I'm going to the park, guys. I'll be home later, k?" A chorus of "okays" came from the kitchen. Yuugi smiled softly. This is where he belonged, with his friends.

Yuugi placed his hands in his pockets and started toward the park. His hometown hadn't changed one bit. Yuugi gave a small sigh and continued on. He pointedly avoided his special haven. If Yami was there…

Springtime was always beautiful in Domino. The sakura trees were blossoming and lovers were basking in the sun merrily. Yuugi long ago wished to be one of them, to be loved. But he was happy, single.

He sat under a tree and closed his eyes. He tried to imagine life if Yami hadn't broken his promises. But he couldn't.

"I told you Yuugi would be here." Yuugi mentally hissed.

"Yami, how _pleasant_ to see you here. Oh, and you brought your little followers here. What a lovely surprise!" The sarcasm was so evident in Yuugi's voice it was scary that Jounouchi didn't see it.

"That ain't Yuugi. That shrimp was wimpy and uncool. This kid here also looks nothing like Yuugi." Yuugi's eyes flashed. Yami paled.

"He's hot and Yuugi was just a waste of space. You're right, Jounouchi, this definitely isn't Yuugi." Anzu drooled mentally. Yuugi, was by now, seething.

"And he has muscles too. Yuugi was just weak. He could stand up for himself at all. Every time he had a problem he'd come running to one of us." Honda added. Yuugi now radiated hate. Yet his ex-friends didn't notice at all. Yami gulped and stepped back.

"How _dare_ you! You pathetic idiots don't know me at all!" Yuugi shoved his bracelet in front of their faces. The trio's eyes widened as they stared at Yuugi. "Does that give you your proof?" He snarled.

"Heh… Hi, Yuugi-buddy. We really missed you." Jounouchi said in a poor attempt to calm Yuugi down. Instead, his comment had the opposite effect, an explosive effect.

"Bullshit!" Anzu's eyes widened. Her childhood friend now cursed and was seriously hot. Twisted…

"Hikari, please calm down." Yami pleaded. Yuugi turned his hateful gaze at him.

"And to think you four were my friends. Pathetic." He said coldly. Jounouchi grabbed his wrist.

"Now wait just a minute. We—HEY!" Yuugi had twisted Jounouchi's wrist harshly, almost breaking it.

"Don't touch me, ever." Yuugi's lovely eyes were blazing hate. He knew his ex-friends opinions of him and now, it was a very low chance that Yuugi would let any of them into his life again. Jounouchi aimed a punch at Yuugi.

"Jou!" Yami warned. Yuugi smirked. Playtime! He dodged the punch so Jou punched the tree. Yuugi hit the ground and kicked Jounouchi's legs so he fell. Honda came in to defend his buddy.

"Stop it, Yuugi!" Yami yelled.

"Never." Came the poisonous reply. Honda was punched in gut and he landed on top of Jounouchi. "You really are pathetic. One hit and you're down." Yuugi turned away from them.

"Please, Yuugi, can't we let this conflict die?" Yami tried to grab Yuugi but he moved away. Jounouchi and Honda untangled themselves and leapt at Yuugi.

Yuugi kicked Jounouchi where the sun doesn't shine. He doubled over in pain, glaring at Yuugi. Honda took a guarded stance, watching the dangerous Light. Honda feinted to the right and tried to punch Yuugi's left.

"You're going down." Honda said triumphantly. Yuugi smirked. He grabbed Honda's wrist and bent it back slowly. The other teen winced. Every time Yuugi bent his wrist back, Honda shrank. Pretty soon, Honda was on his knees and Yuugi had bent his wrist to the limit.

"You need to be more flexible." With a quick movement, he broke Honda's wrist. Anzu winced when she heard the _crack_.

"Yuugi…" Anzu started. Yuugi turned towards her.

"Stay out of this. You lost my trust the day you pushed me to the floor and called me a whore to Yami." Yami looked at Anzu, shocked. Anzu just stared at her childhood friend as he walked away.

"You called him a whore?" Yami asked, voice calm but eyes deadly. Anzu gulped.

"N-no, Yami-chan. Never." She answered unconvincingly. Yami's eyes blazed hate in the way that Yuugi had done before.

"Be thankful I'm not like Yuugi or else you'd be dead." He hissed. Anzu let out an inaudible sigh of relief. Yami went over to Honda and healed his wrist.

"But I never made him bleed. I only hurt him with words." Anzu whispered, thinking that Yami wouldn't hear her. But she was wrong, Yami did hear and he froze.

"You… You're right and you're wrong. I didn't only make him bleed. I hurt him with words too. I mentally and physically abused him."

"I'm going to kill that punk!" Jounouchi hissed under his breath. Yami turned his gaze on him.

"You will not lay on finger one him. Or you will regret it severely. I can do worse that Yuugi, remember that." Yami threatened. Once he made sure that they got the message, he ran in the direction Yuugi went off to.

Meanwhile, Yuugi was leaning against a tree, hidden by the shadows. He had finally gotten control of his emotions and his anger. The tune of Fur Elise reached his ears. Yuugi reached into his pant pocket and pulled out his cell phone. He flipped the cover and checked the caller's ID. Yuugi had expected his friend's number, not whose name he saw.

"How did he even get my number?" Yuugi whispered to himself. Hesitantly, Yuugi pressed the receive button. "Hello?"

"_Yuugi! I was afraid you wouldn't pick up. Where are you?_"

"How the hell did you get this number?" Yuugi replied, avoiding the question Yami asked.

"_The day you cried your heart out and fell asleep in my arms_." Yuugi sucked in a breath. "_Yesterday, Yuugi._"

"Wha—"

"I added my cell number to yours." Yami said, sounding close. Yuugi looked at his cell phone and saw that they weren't talking anymore. So how did he hear Yami? Yuugi gulped and looked to his left. Startling crimson eyes stared back at him. Involuntarily, Yuugi took a step back.

"Why did you?" Yami ignored the question.

"Did you know we have the same ring tones?"

"Is that so?" Yuugi replied harshly. He whipped out his phone that he had put back into his pocket. Hitting a few keys, Yuugi changed his ring tone from Fur Elise to _Numb_ by Linkin Park.

"Yuugi—" The lyrics of _Numb_ were heard. Yuugi checked caller ID.

"You need something, Malik?"

"_Are you in trouble yet?_"

"I'm hurt, Malik. I don't get into trouble."

"_You don't. But trouble likes you._"

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"_Where are you?_"

"I'm at the park… standing in front of an old friend."

"_You're with Yami!_" Malik shouted. Yuugi held the phone away from his ear.

"Yes, I am. I'll see you back at home in a few."

"_I'll take your word for it. Bye, Yuugi._" Malik hung up. Yuugi placed the phone in his back pocket.

"Goodbye, Yami." Yuugi said stiffly. Yami just nodded glumly. He watched Yuugi walk off again. This time, it was probably out of his life forever.

"Goodbye, aibou."

**To Be Continued**

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(1) My seventh grade ELA teacher used to say this a LOT. I miss her. (sigh)

YD: Well, I got this up quicker than I would have expected.

HS: The next chapter should have more length to it. I'm not sure yet.

YD: It should be out soon. And I'm thinking of writing two one-shots. One would be seriously long and the other, mid-length. So chapter 10 might be a little delayed. Sorry!

HS: And people, PLEASE review. I've gotten 871 hits (last I've checked) and only 85 reviews (last I've checked) I live off of reviews and looking at my stats page just kills me.

YD: K, see ya next time!


	10. Apology Unaccepted

YD: Really, I'm so bored I could die. (sigh)

HS: (yawn) I should be asleep too.

YD: Okay… I present to you chapter ten.

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**Chapter ten, Apology… Unaccepted**

Yuugi walked on, seething. He never looked back at all. But he knew Yami was staring at his back, just watching him walk away. He could feel Yami's sad gaze on him. Just feeling Yami's eyes on him made him want to turn around and forget everything.

But he couldn't. Not after all that Yami had done. Not even if hell froze over twice.

Back at the rented apartment, his friends were almost finished packing. Ryou was all packed up and was currently packing Yuugi's suitcase. Yuugi unlocked the door and stepped inside.

"So when are we leaving?" Likika turned.

"We're leaving today at eight PM. We are going back to England." Yuugi nodded and relieved Ryou of packing his suitcase.

About two hours later, the five friends were sitting in a circle. A game called Truth or Dare was being played and Lissa was about to give Yuugi his truth question.

"Hmm, is it true that… you cut yourself?" Yuugi flinched. Out of the corner of his eyes, Ryou coughed and Malik looked away whistling.

"Yes… it's true." The expression on Lissa's face was devastated. She had hoped Malik and Ryou weren't telling the truth. Hardly likely that the two would lie on such an important subject but…

"Would you care to explain why, Yuugi?" The game was forgotten and Yuugi sighed heavily.

"At first Yami would be my second shadow. He would always hover over me and keep me safe. I loved the attention because Yami always knew when enough was enough. But then he started drifting away. My ex-friends started hanging out with him and neglecting me. For a while it was okay but then the bullies started after me again.

Every day I went home with cuts and bruises but Yami never noticed. I learned how to care for myself because Grandpa was sick. Whenever Yami went to the arcade, I was at home, caring for my Grandpa. But his heath kept deteriorating. One day I had to call the hospital. But within two hours, my Grandpa passed into the next world. The nurses told me his last words. 'Be safe and happy, Yuugi and I will as well.'

Yami found me sobbing on the kitchen floor, clutching a coke. He comforted me a bit because Grandpa had taken him in after he had gotten his own body. But then he just left me there and went to the arcade.

The bullies just took the chance and pounced. They hurt me so much but what Yami did was a million times worse. He came home drunk and he beat me just as the bullies did. It broke my heart. It was the very first time Yami had ever intentionally hurt me, even though he was intoxicated. Since alcohol never had a lasting effect on him, he snapped out of it. He saw how I was sobbing in front of him. His fist was raised, ready to hit me. I looked up fearfully. I could see the confusion in his eyes. Then the truth hit him. He looked at me, horrified and ran out the house.

The next day, Yami ordered me to cook for him. He knew I could cook because I was still alive… I refused and he slapped me. Every time I refused an order from him, I was hurt. It tore me apart. Eventually I gave in just to live. I made bland meals and he never complained, thinking I was too stupid. He stopped making me cook and went out to eat with my ex-friends. The only person who didn't ignore me was Shizuka. Ryou and Malik were too preoccupied trying to stay alive as well.

After a while, Shizuka left saying she couldn't live like this anymore. She apologized to me and left. I've never seen her since. But since then, Yami has been so cruel to me. Whenever something bad happens in his life, Yami would beat me, hurt me, cut me. It was never the same but it always hurt. Eventually I started cutting myself to stay sane, to find some kind of solace. But I was never caught.

Ryou and Malik saw me being beaten up by bullies one day and helped out. I managed to get back on my feet because of them. After that, we became inseparable. We would always try to keep each other out of trouble. We knew that Malik was taking guitar lessons before school for extra credit orchestra. We took the class with him. Ryou and I had choir class and I also had dance class. Using our skills that were sharpened from the elective classes, we started a small band and played at Dragon's Heart. No one knew it was us and we made good money.

Yami still beat me but it was now bearable. But somehow, I couldn't keep the blade away from my skin. Once a week, I let my blood flow. After a while, I stopped. I haven't cut myself since the day we left here." Yuugi finished his tale and looked for any signs of disgust in his friends' faces. There was none.

Likika and Lissa were stunned. They had never known the whole story of Yuugi's past. Malik and Ryou were equally shocked. They had never known the depth of his past. The four crowded around their friend.

"But you've got us so there is no need for angst, right?" Yuugi smiled.

"That's right, Lissa. I have no reason to be sad because I have you guys. And I won't let Yami hurt any of you."

"We should um… get our stuff together so we can just grab our stuff and walk out the door later." Ryou suggested. Malik nodded and everyone went to their rooms and got their stuff.

In his room, Yuugi glanced at the place where he kept his knife.

"Are you coming?" Ryou asked. He shared a room with Yuugi.

"I'll just be a second." Ryou nodded and left the room. Yuugi reached into the drawer and grabbed the knife. The dimming sunlight reflected off the blade, making it shine. The hilt was beautiful. Yuugi had bought the knife after saving up. He had never killed anyone but he wanted it to feel secure.

Yuugi slid his finger across the edge of the blade and watched in morbid fascination as his blood dripped from the cut. A tingling feeling swept through his body. Yuugi's eyes widened. It felt… nice…

Not think of consequences at all, Yuugi cut up his wrists and let the tingling feeling wash over him. Not getting enough of the euphoric feeling, Yuugi cut his arms crisscross. The tingling returned but was replaced by dizziness.

"Yuugi— Kuso! Likika, Ryou, Lissa, get over here now!" Dazedly, Yuugi saw his friends worried faces swim before his vision before he collapsed.

Yami suddenly gripped his head in pain. He was right in the middle of a duel with Jounouchi. His vision swam before his eyes and his arms felt like they were being slashed continuously. Shakily, Yami placed his hand on his deck. Next thing Yami knew, he was flying down the street heading towards wherever…

Yami quickly pushed the door open. His vision had cleared but his arms still stung. Something was happening, but what? He heard shouts and many curses in Egyptian, Japanese, and English. The Dark followed the voices to a door.

He pushed it open and saw blood. Yuugi was lying unconscious in a pool of blood. His friends were trying, unsuccessfully, to wake the small boy up. Instantly, Yami reverted to the way he was before he had left his Light.

"MOVE!" He shouted. The four turned quickly and did as they were told. Yami picked up the limp body and closed the cuts quickly to prevent any more blood loss. How much blood had the boy lost? Yuugi was extremely pale. Was he even alive? Yami pressed his fingers to Yuugi's wrist. Nothing. Panicking, he felt for a pulse in his neck. Faint and getting fainter, but there.

"Bakamono!" Yami hissed. He placed Yuugi on the bed and straddled the boy's waist. Yuugi's friends hesitantly let Yami do his work. Breathing hard, Yami placed his fingers at Yuugi's chest and _pushed_. Jolts of magic targeted his heart, making the heart produce more blood without hurting the heart. Color slowly returned to the teen's face.

The people in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief. Yuugi was safe… for now. Yuugi regained consciousness slowly. The first thing he saw was Yami's angry eyes and the first thing he felt was pain.

Instantly, Yuugi was thrown into the past when Yami abused him daily. The teen's eyes widened and tried to curl into a ball. But Yami was sitting on him. Yuugi settled for whimpering pathetically and closing his eyes, waiting for more pain. Yami felt a wave of self-hate toward himself. He had hurt his little Light and drove him away. Yuugi had given him life and Yami returned the favor by hurting the little angel.

Yami's expression softened and he leaned down and hugged the little one that was trembling. He healed the cuts so that no trace of scars left. Yami buried his head in Yuugi's hair, smelling the shampoo that Yuugi used, strawberry vanilla. (StrawnillaHikari!)(Sorry, inside joke)

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Yami kept whispering his apology over and over again. Yuugi was tense and yet, trembling. His friends stood in the background, confused.

Yuugi, on the other hand, was scared and confused. What was going on? Wait… the events of the past hour suddenly hit him. Yuugi forcefully pushed Yami off of him and got off the bed.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Yami was stunned. One second Yuugi was as vulnerable as a newborn deer, the next, he was violent and murderous. What happened to the teen in the small two year span that Yami missed of his Light's life?

Lissa, Likika, Ryou, and Malik all nodded in thanks for saving their friend. They followed Yuugi out the door, leaving Yami all by himself to stew in his own thoughts. An incredibly sad thought crossed his mind.

This would be the last time he ever saw Yuugi as… a friend, sort of. But once Yuugi left, he would never treat Yami the same ever again. Yami would just be a fan and Yuugi would acknowledge him as a fan. Yami realized that once Yuugi left, they would not be Light and Dark anymore. Not anymore…

The Dark's thoughts kept spiraling downward. His gaze also did and he saw a knife. Its blade was saturated in blood. It was the blade which Yuugi used to cut himself. Yami wiped off the blood on the floor and erased the molecules of blood from the carpet.

If Yuugi was leaving today, Yami would try and get him back one last time. Perhaps his old friends could help a bit, providing that Jounouchi kept his mouth shut. Yami whipped out his cell phone and speed dialed Jounouchi.

After a few calls later, Yami had gathered up the old group. Unbeknownst to him, the little group had their own plans.

* * *

Yuugi stared out the window of the hybrid car. Likika was driving and Yuugi sat in the back with Ryou and Malik. He was lost in his own world. A world created by him, ruled by him, and just… all about him. Everything was normal in Yuugi's world. He was loved and he loved. It was a perfect world with one problem… it didn't exist. **_HONK!_**

Likika slammed the brakes, causing the occupants of the vehicle to lurch forward. Once again, obscenities in Egyptian, Japanese, and English were heard in the Toyota. Malik was mixing every language he knew and cursing quite creatively. Besides, if you live with people who know different languages, you tend to pick up a few things.

"_I'm tired of being what you want me to be—_" Yuugi sighed and motioned for silence. His friends did their best to comply but Malik still cursed under his breath. Without even looking at caller ID, Yuugi pressed the talk button.

"Hello?" Yuugi asked, bored. He was hoping to avoid a conversation about what had happened earlier. So far, he had no luck. Lissa kept looking at him strangely and Likika was doing the exact opposite, she was trying not to look at Yuugi.

"_YYYYYYuuuuuuuugggggggiiiiiiiiii-buddy, what's up_?" Yuugi grit his teeth together. Yami had given his cell number to that inu, (dog) Jounouchi.

"What do you want?" Yuugi's voice took on a poisonous tone. Everyone immediately knew, sort of, who it was.

"_Now, now, buddy, don't get all violent on me._" Jou said good-naturedly. Yuugi's eyes twitched in anger. He yanked the phone away from his ear and terminated the connection. He breathed slowly, trying to negate his anger. Yuugi really didn't want to unleash his fury on his friends. No, that would just be bad.

"Bad news?" Malik whispered. Yuugi scoffed and shrugged indifferently.

"What am I to do of the scum of the world?" He asked cruelly. No one supplied an answer.

The rest of the trip was in silence. Yuugi had turned his phone off so he would not be bothered by his ex-friends. No one had the courage to break the awkward silence.

By the time the group had arrived at the airport, everyone sighed audibly. They were all glad to be out of the cramped car. Yuugi stretched and his shirt revealed some of his stomach.

Arms grabbed him from behind and wrapped around his waist. Hot breath caressed his ear. Yuugi was frozen…

"Glad we made it before you left, aibou." Instantly, the freezing spell on Yuugi evaporated and he pulled away from Yami quickly.

"Are you my new stalker or something?" He hissed. Yami sighed. He was nowhere closer to regaining Yuugi's trust than the first day he came back.

"Look, aibou," Yuugi's eyes flashed angrily. Yami ignored it and continued. "We just want you to come back home."

"What home? My home is with my friends."

"We _are_ your friends, Yuugi." Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda stepped out from behind Yami. Yuugi's eyes narrowed dangerously.

"What friends? All I see there are back-stabbing idiots." Yuugi turned around and faced his real friends. He stood next to them.

"These are _my_ friends. They've stuck by me through the times when you didn't." Jou sighed.

"We're sorry, Yuugi. Just please, come home." Anzu pleaded softly. Honda just looked down, unable to express his thoughts. Yuugi stared into Jounouchi's eyes, trying to find any hint of lies. Apparently, he found what he was looking for.

Yuugi's eyes darkened. Yami saw the shadow magics that were previously locked away. Now those magics were causing havoc in Yuugi's body, tainting what was left of his pure soul.

"Bullshit." Yami sensed that something big was going to happen… and it wasn't going to be very good. Discreetly, Yami froze time so that no one would be injured by Yuugi. Lissa stepped forward.

"Yuugi, please, stop. Let's just leave them and go home." Yami turned to her, eyes blazing.

"Stay out of this. It does not concern you at all."

"You leave her alone!" Yuugi shouted. He stood in front of Lissa. "If you harm any of my friends, I swear I will kill you."

"Come on, Yuugi. Find it in your heart to forgive us. We'll bring you back into the group." Jounouchi clasped his hand together. "Please!"

"I know why you want me back." Yuugi hissed. Jounouchi froze. "You want me back so you can use me to be famous. You think that I'd actually let you back into my life and you'd just leech money from me, don't you?"

Honda coughed unconvincingly. Yuugi's eyes almost turned black from the dark shade of purple.

"Isn't it!" Anzu flinched. Yuugi never yelled, only quietly disagreed. Yami just stood to the side, completely lost.

"Hikari…" Yami started.

"Yuugi…" Likika called.

"Come back." The two reached out to pull Yuugi towards them. Yuugi stood there. If he went with Likika, he would never be able to turn around again. If he went with Yami, it would risk killing his heart again.

"Goodbye, guys." Yuugi faced Likika and took her hand. A tear dropped from Yuugi's eyes and the _Fallen Angels_ left. Yami felt a little part of him crumble. Yuugi didn't come back, he refused to come home. He had deemed their apology unacceptable. The two groups went their own way, probably never to meet up again.

People started moving again as Yami's spell wore off.

Yami's group met up with Marik and Bakura who had humbled up somewhat. The two looked at the group hopefully. Their faces fell when Yami shook his head. The three Darks knew they would never see their Lights again in this lifetime.

But as we know, Fate always cheats.

* * *

**To Be Continued**

YD: The week is finally over and I finally have time to update! Let's all cheer loudly. (crickets chirp)

HS: Well I'm happy. Sort of at least. But people, please review. I have about 1425 hits and 97 reviews. (sigh) Please review, I'm begging you.

YD: Until next update!


	11. Crash and Burn

YD: I'm seriously bored so here's the next chapter.

HS: Also, I've decided that there will be an alternate epilogue along with the original epilogue. No, the story does not end that soon. I'm just saying I will post the alternate epilogue for anyone who wants shounen ai. And it'll be Yuumeishipping.

* * *

**Chapter eleven, Crash and Burn**

Yami stirred the lukewarm coffee absentmindedly. All his thoughts were on how much his life sucked. Yuugi hated him. Yuugi left him for losers. Yuugi hated him. Yuugi didn't like him anymore. Yuugi hated him. Yuugi stepped out of his life forever. Yuugi hated him. Yuugi wasn't going to come back. Did he mention Yuugi hated him?

Bottom line was, Yuugi hated him. Yami screwed up big time and now he was paying for that huge mistake. Marik was playing with a small ball of dark magic and staring at absolutely nothing. Bakura was silent and he kept his head down.

All three Darks knew they failed. They failed their Lights and caused them to hate them. Marik and Bakura had humbled up, however slight the change was, it was a change. The two were no longer being loud and annoying.

"So what do we do now?" Bakura asked. No one answered. Yami shrugged nonchalantly and Marik continued playing with the shadows.

"We do nothing. We have nothing anymore. I guess the reason we abused our Lights was because it was our amusement. We had nothing else to do." Marik reasoned. Yami sighed and banged his head against the table.

"That's not a good enough excuse, Marik. Being bored gives us no right to harm our Lights."

"Yami is right. But what was our excuse?" Yami sighed heavily.

"Our excuse is that were all idiots that deserve to rot in the Shadow Realm." Yami replied. Bakura scoffed.

"So what do we do now?" Marik asked, repeating Bakura's former question. Yami resumed his position, stirring the now-cold coffee.

The three were silent once more as the stewed in their own thoughts. No waiters or waitresses had the will to break up the depressing scene unfolding at the window booth. They just stayed away and waited until the three would leave.

* * *

Yuugi stared at the window, watching the clouds go by. The birds flew in the sky so freely. Maybe… just maybe… one day, maybe he could be free as well.

Yuugi scoffed at himself. Wishful thinking. There was no way that would ever happen. The only way that would happen… would be to die. The teen squeezed his eyes shut and tried to think of something else. But no thought came except for the feeling of a blade against his skin.

_NO, NO, NO!_ He refused to go back to cutting! Not now, not ever!

"Yuugi, are you okay?" Ryou placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"No, Ryou. I'll… I'll be in my soul room." Ryou nodded and Yuugi fell limp, consciousness abroad.

"Ryou," Lissa called. The said teen turned and saw her point at Yuugi's prone form. "Is he okay?" Ryou sighed.

"Not really. He's suffering from depression. Maybe we shouldn't have come back."

"We've been through this before, Ryou. If we didn't come back we would have died." Malik said, poking Ryou's shoulder. The teen sighed and brushed Malik's hand away.

"I'm starting to think Yuugi wanted that death rather than see his yami again." Ryou glanced at Yuugi. "I just hope he isn't hurting himself in there."

"You can hurt yourself in your soul room?" Likika asked, confused.

"The harm you inflict on yourself will never show up on your body, but you'll feel the effects. Some might die from blood loss. But their bodies never show a mark. Your soul is your essence. You kill your soul, you kill yourself."

"But Yuugi wouldn't do that, would he?"

"I don't know, Likika, I don't know."

Yuugi sat on the floor of his soul room. Everything was so different. It was nothing like the room it was three years ago. All the walls were gray and bloodstained except for one. That one wall had his friends' pictures on it. All his friends smiled at him, forever frozen like that. The teen stood and walked over to the bed. He felt the material and sat on it.

"You're crazy, Yuugi." The Light whispered to himself.

The bed was crimson, the color of blood… and of Yami's eyes. The sheets were made of silk, and oh-so-soft. It was like sitting on a cloud.

_A black-winged angel sat on a stormy cloud, his tears falling and mixing with the rain. A misunderstood angel who was now all alone. His friends abandoned him for someone better, wings that were pure white before now ebony black with despair and regret. No one wanted to be with the angel. Amethyst eyes clouded over with tears. He looked down on Earth and saw a couple holding each other in the rain. A small smile graced the angel's lips._

"Be happy, young couple. Love is meant to be forever. Do not lose it, for it is very precious. More precious than the rarest stone, purer than the whitest snow, love is meant to last for eternities. It was never to be forgotten. Do not lose such a precious thing as I have."

_With that, the angel blew a kiss to the couple, blessing them. He curled his wings in and jumped. Sad crimson eyes watched the angel fall to Earth. He was too late._

"Do not forget that love does not forget anyone. Stay pure, my fallen angel, stay safe." _The crimson-eyed angel blew a kiss as well, blessing his fallen angel._

Yuugi awoke with a start. How long had be been asleep? Ugh… he felt like shit. Must've slept wrong or something like that. Wow… so quiet. Yuugi got off of the bed and continued his inspection of his room. He searched for his ex-friends pictures. They were collecting dust in a corner of the room. That part was the bloodiest. But one picture stood out. It only had a thin layer of dust unlike the others. No blood was splattered across this portrait.

Bloody eyes stared into Yuugi's eyes. The likeness was amazing and slightly creepy. This was not normal, not normal at all. The eyes pleaded with him, watched him… haunted him.

"NO!" Yuugi shut his eyes and held his hands over his ears. "I have no ties to you! I don't want to go back! I HATE YOU!"

Furiously, Yuugi started destroying the room. His ex-friends pictures were set ablaze but Yami's portrait was unharmed. Undaunted, Yuugi overturned the table, displacing small pictures of Yuugi's childhood. Glass cracked, frames snapped, a mirror smashed. Yuugi took a drawer out of his nightstand and paused.

His favorite knife winked at him. It seemed to control his hand as the limb reached for the weapon with its owner's consent.

"NO!"

Yuugi yanked his hand away. He threw the drawer across the room in anger and frustration. He could not keep the blade away from his skin! The knife embedded itself into the wall, hilt deep. It would take a while getting it out.

"Yuugi! Yuugi wake up!" Malik's voice seemed panicked. Quickly, Yuugi strode out of his soul room and left the mess for later.

"What is it, Malik? What happened?"

"Something exploded in the back. The pilot just made everyone return to their seat and asked us not to panic and that they had it all under control." Yuugi gave him a look. "Bullshit if you ask me."

"And what do you want me to do about it?" Malik glanced out the window and gasped. He turned Yuugi around and the teen had the same reaction as his friend.

"Get ready to die because what the explosion was took out a wing."

The ground was looming ever closer as the altitude continued to drop. As if on cue, the captain came over the speaker.

"I'm very sorry for this news but… prepare for an emergency landing." Immediately, and explosively, people started panicking. Well most people did. Others just sat there calmly like nothing was going to happen. "WILL ALL PASSENGERS PLEASE _RETURN TO THEIR SEATS AND REMAIN CALM_!"

Yuugi sighed. A headache started letting itself be known. He rubbed his forehead in anger and sighed again. "Kuso."

"I could say the same thing." Ryou remarked. Yuugi smiled briefly before turning back out the window. The angle of the plane seemed wrong… and it wasn't just because they were going to land…

"Oh no. There's no way the pilot is going to safely get us down! It's going to be a crash landing."

"This is it… guys… we probably won't make it." Malik said. Yuugi hit Malik's shoulder.

"We have magic, don't we? At least we can save a few people."

"But… who do we save?" Ryou's eyes scanned the plane, seeing the children struggling in their seat belts, trying to break free. He saw the fear in the mothers' eyes and the worry in the fathers'. Who could they save if they didn't know who to save?

"Can you try and save everyone?" Lissa asked. "I'll know it'll be hard but you can try right?" The Lights glanced at each other.

"We can try."

The three clasped hands as grey (mix of Light and Dark magic) magics pooled at their hands. Slowly, they spread the magic across the whole plane, encasing them all in magic. Only the three Lights could see the magic so no one panicked.

They focused all there attention on keeping the magic in place that they didn't notice the captain come on again.

"I'm sorry everyone, but I cannot control the plane. Everyone please prepare for a crash landing."

Since the Lights did not have an unlimited supply of shadow magic, they were draining themselves. Ryou cried out in pain and collapsed. Being forced to take on the load that Ryou left behind, Yuugi gritted his teeth. He refused to give in. Sweat dripped down, the strain getting to him. Malik, being the darkest of the three had slightly more of an advantage.

"I'm sorry, Malik." With one last forceful push, Yuugi collapsed. Malik was left all alone, trying to hold the shield in place.

"Malik, it's okay. Let go, protect yourself. The government will need at least one person to interview. The black box isn't anything to a human." Likika said mournfully. Of course she thought of all the lives about to be lost, but… she couldn't do a thing.

Malik nodded, too tired to argue. He wrapped the shield around himself and all his friends. No way was he leaving them behind, even if Yuugi and Ryou were… _dead_.

* * *

Bakura clutched his head and held back a scream that was threatening to rip through his throat. The pain was unimaginable. It felt like something was taking his soul right out of his body and ripping into pieces. But he hadn't done anything!

Unless… unless it wasn't him. If he was feeling the pain because of the long-dead bond… then Ryou was in trouble.

Across from him, Yami was experiencing the same thing. Only it was slightly worse. Yami felt as if his entire body was on fire, and his forehead seared with pain. His magics flitted about him, as if trying to find the cause of the pain. They found the bond, linking himself with Yuugi and followed it to him.

Seconds later, Yami was still in agony, but it was slightly better. His shadows reported that Yuugi was… _gone_. Tears leaked out from the ex-Pharaoh's eyes. He had failed his Light again. He was gone and never coming back this time.

Pain and tears blurred his vision and he stumbled into the room Yuugi used to occupy. Everything was the same as Yuugi left it two years ago when he left. Yami fell upon the bed and cried. He cried for Yuugi and his failure. But most of all, he prayed for the fact Yuugi was in a better place.

Marik just sat there, watching Bakura hold back a scream every time his pain wracked his body. This type of thing didn't usually happen… when a person dies; their soul-bonded doesn't go through that much pain. The tomb keeper's yami just watched, as he could do absolutely nothing to help Bakura, only wait.

* * *

Malik was straining. His magic was running out. Pretty soon, he was going to drop it and collapse.

_**BANG.**_

Impact sent Malik into his seat, he lost control and the shadows surround the trio of Lights, forgetting everyone else. Malik watched helplessly as Lissa and Likika were through backward with the rest of the passengers. Most died instantly but some groaned as they hit the floor painfully.

"I'm sorry."

Malik lay down next to his fallen friends and let consciousness escape him. I'm sorry…

Likika watched as Lissa died immediately. Her friend had felt no pain, just was pulled into the next world violently, leaving her behind and all alone amongst others who were unconscious or dead.

"I'm sorry."

Likika slowly closed her eyes as pain overwhelmed her and she too, was lead into the next world. Good luck, my friends.

_Good luck…_

Fire set in after the plane was completely devastated. No body was left unscathed. The shadows still protected the trio from the fire. They were determined to keep them untouched.

Those who were still alive were too injured to find help. Everyone on the plane suffered dramatically. Not one single person was alive save for Malik once people started coming in. No one was left but him.

Yami and Bakura were considerably tired and somewhat irritable. Marik made them a cup of coffee and they sat in front of the TV and watched the news.

"—and so here's our top story tonight. Here's Sid with the latest."

"Thank you, Tanya. I'm here at the crash site where officials are trying to figure out what went wrong with this plane that killed everyone on board." Someone tapped Sid on the back. His eyes went wide as he listened to what the worker had to stay.

"Oh Lord, there seems to be one teenager who survived. How this is possible, I have no idea. Wait, how did this happen?" The reporter looked into the camera. "All the bodies are scorched but these two aren't. Wait! Don't wake him up!"

The camera zoomed in on the one survivor of the crash. Yami dropped his cup. It shattered into hundreds of little pieces, just like bond with Yuugi. Bakura's heart skipped several beats. Marik just stared, open-mouthed.

"It seems Akuii Kaen was the sole survivor of this crash. All the others— did not survive."

Malik moved slightly. Marik flinched as he absorbed most of his Light's pain.

"Yuugi… Ryou…" He called. None around him knew what he was talking about. Malik tried again. "Ikarii… Takal…" Many looked over to two bodies lying in the dirt. Malik followed their gaze and he saw his friends lying motionless. Tears sprang from his eyes.

Yami started tearing up as well while Bakura squeezed his eyes shut, trying to shut out the world.

"Likika, Lissa?" One shook his head. They had not found those two yet. Malik buried his head in his hands and sobbed. No one said a word to the grieving teen. They were all silent, watching the teen as sobs convulsed his form.

"Now the _Fallen Angels_ have returned to Heaven. Rest in peace. Back to you—" Marik switched off the TV. He could take no more of this. Malik was now all alone again. He had no one now. The only place he could go now was Domino, back to him, back to his old life.

Marik looked at his friends. Bakura sat there, limp. Yami was nowhere to be seen. He had probably gone upstairs to have another good cry. Marik couldn't believe it. His whole life changed in a few seconds. Nothing was going to be the same again.

Yami and Bakura… were going to die.

**To Be Continued**

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* * *

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YD: Ahem… cliffhanger! Can anyone tell me why those two Darks are going to die? Anyone who guesses correctly gets the next chapter dedicated to them!

HS: Got this out fast, didn't I? I was bored since it was the weekend so I updated again! Doncha love me? (crickets chirp)

YD: (anime fall) Till next update!


	12. More News

YD: Sorry, sorry, sorry! I have no excuses for this late chapter! (bows) I'm sorry, don't kill me!

HS: Okay, this chapter is dedicated to every single one of my reviewers. (scratches head) I know I made it obvious, that was the point. I love all my reviewers. (hugs all around)

YD: There are too many names to write, and I'm sure you want read the chapter.

* * *

**Chapter twelve, More News**

Yami stared out the window, not paying attention to much. He didn't see the joyous couples outside, celebrating freedom, no; he saw all the good times he shared with Yuugi and their friends. He thought back on all those times when they were happy. But now… he would never have those times again. The gang each went their own way and now—Yami's eyes grew dull at the thought—Yuugi was dead.

"Yuugi… aibou… I'm sorry for every wrong I committed against you." Yami sighed and continued admitting things to himself, "You were truly my hikari, my better half. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you needed me. Forgive me—" The tears Yami was holding back broke free from their barrier. Sobs wracked the distraught Dark.

Nothing was ever going to be the same. Yami was never going to see those sparkling gems that were Yuugi's eyes. He was never going to be able to try and get Yuugi back. Because Yuugi was gone, and this time, he was truly never coming home.

Slowly, Bakura left the couch. He never admitted it, but Ryou kept him sane. Without him, Bakura would have fallen into the darkest pit of hell and would never be able to climb out. Ryou prevented all that; he had stopped Bakura from doing all those murderous things.

And now, his hikari was gone, vanished, _dead_. To think that he could've prevented that too, just tore the Dark apart. Ryou helped him without knowing, and when the time came to repay that, Bakura just ignored him and abused him.

* * *

Bakura sighed heavily and leaned against the door frame. What a screw-up he was. Ryou was right to leave him. All the Dark wanted to do now was crawl into the deepest pit of hell and stay there.

Ryou would've said he was stupid in his own nice way. Too bad he wasn't alive anymore. A tiny tear escaped and slid down the ex-tomb raider's cheek. Bakura was surprised; he hadn't shed a tear since his village was decimated. A depressing thought filled him. _Somehow, someway, everything precious to what was left of his heart was taken away from him._

Bakura sighed again. He brushed the wetness away harshly as he slid to the floor. Nothing was ever going to be the same again.

* * *

Malik opened his eyes slowly. He knew he couldn't escape reality forever. Judging by the whiteness and too-clean smell, he was in a hospital. Immediately, a thought of his friends ran through him. Malik reached over to the red button at his side and pressed it.

A nurse came into the room seconds later. She had brownish hair that was sort of straight, eyes that were warm and friendly. Rebekah smiled slightly as she approached Malik's bed.

"You called?" Malik nodded.

"Do, do you know about anything about any of my friends?" She glanced at Malik again and recognized him.

"Oh Malik, they didn't survive. I'm sorry." She looked down, unwilling to meet his devastated gaze.

"Dead," Malik echoed forlornly. Inside him, he felt his heart sink lower and lower.

"I'm sorry, Malik." Rebekah apologized needlessly. Malik nodded glumly and she timidly asked, "Do you need anything?"

"No thanks, I just want to be alone for a while if that's okay."

"Sure, I'll make sure no one disturbs you for a while." Malik thanked her softly and Rebekah left the room. The superstar felt the exact opposite of super. He felt dead and hollow without his friends. Yuugi, Ryou, Lissa, and Likika were gone from him and they were never coming back to help him.

Were would he go? Malik had no home now. He couldn't go back to England now that Ryou wasn't there to offer his home. The place had too many memories that were going to be a detriment to him.

_So much for my happy ending…_

Malik leaned against the wall and hid his face in his knees. He wrapped his arms around his legs, holding himself in a ball-like shape. And the teen sobbed, he sobbed for the unfairness of life, his friends' untimely deaths, and Fate being a jerk to him. Nothing was ever going to be the same again.

* * *

Fate looked down at her handiwork. "Hmm… not bad…" She thought to herself. Fate snapped her thin fingers and dipped them into a bowl of transparent water. She lifted her fingers out of the water and snapped again. The droplets of water flew everywhere but at her.

"Now for the better part…" Fate chuckled lightly and glared at her partner. Chaos shrugged nonchalantly. "You had your fun, time now it's my turn." She hissed.

"I don't recall you protesting much when I manipulated the balance." Chaos replied to her twin. Fate glared at the dark-haired goddess.

"Shut your mouth, sister. Honestly, I don't know how we're twins. You're nothing like me." Chaos smirked.

"Well, we're the keepers of Balance. We're opposites right? Well, we keep a balance. When I do something, you counteract it with your _mighty powers_." She said sarcastically. Chaos's sister growled and turned back to the present situation. Time to repair the damage done by her irresponsible sister.

* * *

Hours passed and the Darks did nothing but sit around and do nothing. The phone rang shrilly, shattering the unending silence. Yami looked up from his position on the couch. Dull crimson eyes had a look of haunting in them. The red irises looked like they were bleeding from inside. Getting up from his place on the couch, Yami went to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Hello, is this were Atemu Yami lives?_" An important voice asked, "_This is about the late Mutou Yuugi's will._" Just hearing his hikari's name brought tears to the Dark's eyes.

"Yes, this is him speaking."

"_According the will, you are now a millionaire._"

"A millionaire," Yami repeated blankly. Now normally, people would be ecstatic about inheriting so much money. But Yami had no emotion left, he was simply hollow.

"_Excuse me, but are you all right?_" Crimson eyes regained shreds of life as Yami's temper grew.

"What the hell do you think? My part—my family just died! Do you expect me to jump up and yell enthusiastically when Yuugi was killed in a plane crash? Ra damn it!"

"_Sorry! If you want to collect your money, please come to London, England. Someone will help you when you get there!_" After saying all this in a rush, the man hung up hastily. Yami slammed the phone down in its cradle.

"Gents, we're going a trip!" Yami yelled, "We'll visit Isis and then take a plane to London!" No one protested because both did not want to stew in their thoughts.

A few minor bruises and shouts later, the trio arrived at the museum. They called on Isis and the director showed them to her. Isis seemed to know what the wanted and led them away from other people.

"Are they truly gone?" She asked softly. Bakura raised an eyebrow in question. Isis looked back with confusion written in her expression. "You haven't checked to see if your Light's are truly dead?"

"How?" Yami asked, daring to let hope seep into his heart. Isis shook her head sadly.

"I do not know. I'm not the one with a bond, you three are. You have to find out yourselves." Yami's heart sunk, the tiny balloon of hope popped.

"I see…" Marik replied, staring at nothing in particular.

"I can take you three to London."

(Someone help me, please!)

Yami's neck snapped around so fast, it popped. But he didn't feel the pain; all he could see was people minding their own business. No one seemed to have heard the plea.

"Pharaoh," Isis started, "come quickly. We have no time to lose." Yami snapped out of his trance and followed Isis.

Several shouts and arguments later, the private jet touched down in London. Isis rubbed her forehead in frustration. These three could be so childish sometimes. It was really bothersome and she was not having a good day.

"Good luck." Isis said to them. Marik nodded in acknowledgement to her words and to thank her for the ride. Isis smiled back and closed the door.

"Come on; let's find where we need to go." Yami suggested. Bakura just jammed his hands into his pockets and glared at innocent bystanders. They quickly scrambled away from the intensity of hate in his glare.

"Quit scaring people, Bakura." Marik ordered harshly. Bakura scoffed apathetically but stopped regardless.

"Shut up," Bakura muttered. Both of his companions rolled their eyes as they continued down the path.

Somehow, the trio found where there supposed to go. It was actually because of Bakura since he remembered bits of London since Ryou used to live there. The Dark swallowed a lump in his throat, berating himself for losing control of his emotions.

(Stay back, stay away from me! Someone help me!)

Bakura turned in surprise, expecting to see some pitiful soul begging for assistance but he saw nothing out of ordinary. Maybe stress was getting to him. Yeah, that's it, blame it on the stress.

Sooner rather than later, the three were gathered in a cramped room with important looking people. Marik was screaming inside his head from the sheer frustration here. Why did he agree to come along again?

"I told you, Yuugi was my close relative." Yami hissed, "He was like my younger sibling."

"Very well then," The lawyer started, "we'll just look into it and get back to you after we're done." Yami stood and hesitantly shook the man's hand.

"Goodbye," Quickly, both parties left through different doors, wanting to be as far away as possible from the other.

"Great, now what?" Marik complained, "Where are we going to stay?"

"Shut up will you? I have it under control. We'll stay at Ryou's old place. I still have a copy of his key."

"Brilliant, tomb robber," Yami muttered, massaging his forehead. "Steal from the helpless and give to yourself. Positively brilliant,"

"I don't see you coming up with anything better." Bakura retorted. Marik imitated a retching sound behind them. It sounded so realistic that both turned and looked at the third in disgust.

"You both disappoint me, bickering over the smallest things, you're pitiful." Both Darks grasped Marik's jacket in anger. Their eyes were glazed over with hate, each ticked off to no end.

Bakura started cursing in several different languages. Yami could've sworn he heard Latin and Ancient Egyptian too. Marik's smirk grew as he listened to Bakura's wide vocabulary.

"We're all tired and frustrated, why don't we just crash at Ryou's place?" Marik asked, now that he had their attention. They released the Dark and Marik fell to the ground painfully, for he had quite forgotten that he was being held up.

Marik cursed as well, and as fluently as Bakura had. Yami snickered mentally, wondering where they had learned such vulgar vocabulary.

* * *

He was confused. Everywhere he turned, eyes were watching him like a hawk watching its prey. Every corner he turned, he fell deeper and deeper into the maze, confused beyond all boundaries. There was no end to this. Was he going to die here?

Or were those eyes watching going to pounce and kill him? Nothing existed here except fear and a will to survive. So much for trusting magic to save him. As soon as he had dropped into this place, his magic had abandoned him, spreading out in tendrils away from him.

Turning again, he ran into the thing that had been watching him, stalking him. He did the first and only thing that came to his mind: RUN! And that was exactly what he did… The thing flew after him, going a steady pace. The thing seemed in no hurry to catch him. It actually seemed entertained by his fear.

"Damn it!"

He had long since stopped calling for help since it was clear he was not going to receive any help whatsoever.

* * *

Yami awoke with a start. What had woken him? He looked around and saw nothing out of the ordinary. The moonlight fell through the windows, forcing the shadows to find another place to live. Yami rubbed the sleep from his eyes and slipped out from under the covers. His bare feet touched the cold floors which sent shivers up his spine. He ignored it and got off the bed.

The Dark glanced at the clock briefly. The green numbers showed the time as 3:16 AM. Yami sighed. It was too early for this. Wearing nothing but loose, black pajama pants, he left the room and headed toward the bathroom.

Inside, Yami washed his face, removing the last traces of sleep from his eyes. The bleeding inside him had stopped, replaced with determination. Yami wanted to bring home his partner's body and bury him in Domino with the rest of Yuugi's family. He didn't want his hikari to rest forever in an unfamiliar place.

Yami returned to his temporary room and sat down beneath the moonlight. He put his arms on his knees and rested his head on his arms. It would be uncomfortable after a while but he didn't mind.

"Yuugi…"

The once-Pharaoh just sat there for the next few hours, just thinking, thinking of how life would be. He thought of how different his life had been because of his partner, his better half. For one, Yami would've have a body to enjoy life in. So he just sat there, thinking…

At ten o' clock, Yami left his companions and went out for a walk to nowhere. Okay, he was going somewhere; he just didn't know where that somewhere was. After a while, Yami stopped the first person he saw and asked them were the police station was.

"Keep going down that way and it'll be the blue and gray building. You can't miss it." Yami thanked her and both continued on their own ways.

At the police station, Yami inquired around about the plane crash and if he someone could direct him to the place where they kept the bodies that had been identified. After telling them that Ikarii was related to him, they let him go.

One officer named Neera directed him to Ikarii's body. She had shoulder-long brown hair and her eyes were sympathetic as Yami looked down at the cloth covering Ikarii's body.

"Would you like me to leave you alone for a while?" She asked. Her tone was understanding and friendly but not over-friendly like Anzu was. Neera realized that Yami was deeply cut by this loss.

"Yes, that would be great."

"All right then," Neera left Yami alone with the body of his departed aibou.

"Oh Yuugi, I wish you were here with me. I didn't mean to do all those horrible things. I never meant to push you away. I'm sorry, aibou." But of course, there was no response. There would never be another word that fell from Yuugi's cold lips.

(Stay away from me! No, leave me alone!)

Yami whirled around but saw no one calling for help. How was this possible? Was it someone only Yami could hear…? A thought struck him. But was that was impossible. No one survived that crash but Marik's hikari. Yami's eyes widened and he stepped back from Yuugi's body. He had to come back with the others and see if this were possible.

He thanked Neera for her kindness and told her he would be back in a little bit. Neera lead him out of that particular wing.

Rushing back to his temporary home, he burst through the door.

"Ryou and Yuugi might still be alive!" He yelled. That got their attention pretty quickly. The other two immediately dressed and followed Yami out the door in less than two minutes.

They returned to the station and met Neera. She blinked at their quickness but led them to the room that housed Ryou and Yuugi's bodies. She left them at their request and promised no disturbances.

"Bakura, do you hear anything?" He concentrated and did hear something.

(Someone please help me!) Bakura also heard a terrified scream before silence reigned.

"Yes, I did hear something. But what is it?" Yami motioned toward Ryou's still body.

"I think they're trapped somewhere, trying to break free. Their souls escaped their bodies, hence the death-like state. But see how their eyes aren't completely blank. There's still some life in them. That would mean their hearts are still beating, however slight it may be. It also means they are still breathing even though we can't feel it. Their souls are still alive and they're stuck somewhere."

"That would explain why I've been hearing that voice call for help."

"I know, I've heard someone call for help as well." Yami said gravely. "Marik, watch the door. If anyone tries to come in, make up some excuse." He turned towards Bakura and opened his mouth to talk, "We have to try and retrieve their souls from where ever they may be."

"You're right. Okay then. Good luck to you."

"Right back at you, Bakura,"

Bakura reached for his better half only to fall short. "He must be pretty far off then," he thought. The Dark detached his soul from his body, and his body fell across Ryou's. Grimacing at the sensation running through him, Bakura reached for his hikari. He managed to grasp some part of Ryou's consciousness, but Ryou couldn't notice.

Steadying himself, Bakura pulled out his deck. This seemed like the Shadow Realm and there were all sorts of nasty things in this Realm. Ten seconds later, something pounced and almost scratched Bakura.

The Dark berated himself for being caught off guard and quickly destroyed the low-life point monster. He continued along the purplish-grayish mist. What little time was left was running out. His soul could not stand the pressure of being separated from its body.

After several run-ins with nasty beings, Bakura saw a flash of white. He was on the right track. Bakura ran in the direction the flash went. Soon, something ran into him at full speed. The ex-thief quickly got to his feet in order not to get killed. He was prepared to summon his dragon when he discovered who he ran into.

"Go on," he coughed violently, "kill me. I can't run anymore." The boy coughed up blood. The liquid dripped from his open lips. He was exhausted from evading all the creatures of this Realm.

Bakura smiled slightly, and picked up the boy bridal style. The teen squirmed, determined to go down with a fight.

"It's okay, Ryou, I heard you and I'm here for you." Ryou immediately stopped moving and relaxed.

"How can I trust you, Bakura," Was the weak reply, "you hurt me too."

"I know, I'm just trying to make up for it."

"Bakura," The Dark looked down at his hikari in his arms. "thank you." Bakura smiled slightly and Ryou fell unconscious from pure exhaustion. He guided both himself and Ryou back into their respective bodies.

Ryou remained unconscious while Bakura woke slowly. His back hurt from the weird position he fell in. He looked down at his Light and hovered his hand over Ryou's mouth and nose. Relief filled him as he felt Ryou's soft breathing. Bakura glanced over at Yami who seemed to be having problems. Well, Yami could handle it by himself. Bakura had more pressing matters to attend to.

"I summon Kuriboh!" The fluffy, brown, floating dust-bunny appeared. "Kuriboh, find Yuugi! Make sure he is safe." Kuriboh did a weird salute type thing and bounced off. Yami walked down the thin corridors of the maze. Yuugi could be anywhere in this death-trap.

"Mana," Yami called. The Black Magician Girl appeared in front of him, twirling her staff merrily. She noticed Yami's dark expression and stopped.

"Yes, Master? You called on me?"

"Mana, find Yuugi and protect him. He's somewhere in this maze." Yami replied, gesturing to the hellish maze. Mana nodded soberly and disappeared.

A scream echoed in the maze. Yami immediately started running. Well, he ran until something blasted him backwards. He wiped blood from his lips and growled at the monster in front of him. Blue eyes white dragon…

He did not know which of the four dragons this one was. But it had to be one of Kaiba's if it attacked him.

"_Let me pass._" Yami hissed in Dragon Tongue. The dragon clawed at the floors, ignoring the Pharaoh.

"_Why should I?_" The dragon replied after a while, "_You look like the prey I was watching earlier._"

"_What? You've seen my Light. Where is he? Take me to him._" The dragon refused. Yami grabbed a fistful of magic and roped it around the dragon. The blue eyes reared up in anger, trying to throw off Yami who had climbed onto its back.

"_I'll kill you!_" The dragon cried.

"_Take me to my hikari!_" The dragon took off, helpless against the shadow magic binding it. Grudgingly, the dragon dropped him off where Yuugi's soul lay bloodied against the wall. Both Mana and Kuriboh were trying vainly to wake the teen.

"Yuugi," Yami choked out. Both monsters disappeared after they saw Yami, afraid he would be angry at them. "Wake up."

Yami gathered his Light into his arms and concentrated on getting them back into their bodies. After a flash of bright light, Yami woke slowly. Remembering everything that just happened, he checked if Yuugi was breathing or not.

Good, Yuugi's chest was rising and falling steadily. Weariness overcame Yami. He had just wrangled with one of Kaiba's dragon alone, relying on only his magic. The ex-Pharaoh had every right to be exhausted.

"Yami,"

The Dark looked up when his name was called. Soft eyes questioned him without saying a word. Yami coughed slightly.

"Hello Yuugi, welcome back."

"You saved me, Yami. Why?"

"Because you're my better half, Yuugi you're my life. I realized that too late. I'm sorry, aibou."

"Yami, thank you," A soft smile was directed at him, for the first time in years.

Somehow, everyone got out of there without much incident. Although Neera now knew the Darks' entire life story, everything was okay.

So now what? Well, you'll see.

**To Be Continued**

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* * *

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YD: (yawn) It's getting late over here. I should get to bed now.

HS: Nah!

YD: But I'm tired, hikari.

HS: Then let me take over! (gains control) Hi everyone, didja like the chapter? Horrible ending there, isn't it? But I had to end it somehow. There's only a bit more left, because I'm losing ideas for this. Sorry! (bows) Reviews please!


	13. All By Myself

HS: I'm really sorry about the uber-late update! My yami is sort of dead-ish right now. So I'll be writing this chapter for ya! And about the little line _"So much for my happy ending…"_ I was listening to Avril Lavigne's _My Happy Ending_ so that's where it came from. I thought it would fit nicely.

About Rebekah and Neera in the preceding chapter, I don't own them, nor will I ever. I don't own Sarah either.

* * *

**Chapter thirteen, All By Myself**

Malik stared blankly a spot in the ceiling. The little part was probably melded into his brain for the rest of his life since he had been staring at it for so long. Rebekah checked on him from time to time, seeing if he was okay.

"_All by myself,  
__Doesn't anyone stay in one place anymore?  
__It would be so fine to see your face at my door,  
__But it doesn't help to know you're so far away,_"

Malik sighed heavily and tore his gaze from the ceiling. Every time he moved, he felt as if millions of swords impaled his skin. So Malik didn't move… much. Since he couldn't move around to entertain himself, he meditated.

Thoughts of his past and his future invaded his thoughts. He wondered where Marik was, probably laughing his head off at Malik's predicament. Damn yami…

"This is all his fault," Malik said aloud. Rebekah happened to walk in at that very moment, accompanied with another nurse.

"Malik," she called, "I want you to meet my friend, Sarah Mader." Malik turned slightly in acknowledgment.

Sarah was shorter than Rebekah and had wavy brown hair that fell down to her shoulders. Sarah's eyes had a hint of sympathy for the teen on the hospital bed.

"Hello, Malik, how are you doing?" Malik sighed softly.

"I feel like shit." Sarah shook her head at Malik's words.

"That's to be expected, I suppose. I mean, you were the only survivor of the crash." Malik groaned in response and closed his eyes painfully. "Oh, sorry,"

"I just want to see them again, just once would be enough."

"Oh Malik, we can't help you with that." Rebekah told him. Malik sighed in understanding.

"Thanks for keeping me company. I feel a little better know I'm not all by myself."

"No problem, Malik, anything for a friend," Sarah patted Malik gently so she wouldn't aggravate his wounds. Malik let a genuine smile slip through.

"Thank you," They gently ordered him to rest up before leaving him alone.

/Malik, where are you?./

The teen looked around in surprise but he found no one in the room with him. What just happened? He suddenly realized what and who was talking to him.

"Oh no, not now, not here," Malik pleaded with himself. He sincerely hoped his other self wouldn't find him here and kill him. Well, if Marik did find him and kill him, at least he'd be with his departed friends.

Great, now I'm suicidal like Yuugi was. _Was._ Malik sighed again. Even though he had made a few friends, he was still alone in the world. The only person who really _knew_ Malik, that was left, was Marik.

"Ra, I wish I could see my friends again." Someone silently entered the room without Malik's notice. He did notice something entering his skin and saw from the corner of his eyes, a liquid being injected into his system. Instantly, his vision grew hazy and he never saw his attacker before he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Marik's vision fuzzed at the edges. He suddenly felt drowsy and unable to think clearly. Something was happening, and Marik didn't think it was happening to him specifically. That would mean his hikari was in danger. Yami and Bakura were still holding their Lights delicately, like they would fade away any second.

Marik looked at them for a second them turned around and sprinted the other way. Yami watched him go but right now, his first priority was sleeping in his arms. Yuugi was pale but not eerily so. Once Yuugi woke up, there was no telling whether or not he would allow Yami back into his life.

A single tear slid down and fell on Yuugi's nose. The smaller one scrunched his eyes together and awoke. His lovely royal purple orbs stared up at Yami's sharper eyes. The Dark held his breath and slightly tightened his grip on Yuugi.

"Yami," The Light breathed out lightly. He looked over at Bakura, who was carrying the unconscious Ryou. "Where's Malik?"

"I… I don't know, little one."

"We have to find him."

"I don't even know where to start." Yami replied gently.

"I have to find him." Yuugi repeated with more force this time. Yami sighed. Yuugi glared up at him forcefully, despite the position he was in.

Next to them, Ryou awoke in Bakura's arms. His first emotion was panic. He had no idea where he was and then he looked up. Cruel, russet brown eyes bore into his. Ryou felt an adrenaline rush and looked around quickly for an escape route. Usually he could escape Bakura's abuse for a little while.

As if sensing his Light's thoughts, Bakura tightened his grip. Ryou winced and stopped. He might as well get this over with then treat his wounds later.

"Ryou," Bakura called as soft as he could, "look at me."

The Light in his arms was startled out of his happy place. Why was Bakura being so nice? Or was it a cruel trick designed to break his spirit? Well, he wasn't going to fall for it!

Bakura's eyes softened as he felt Ryou's spirit retreat. His Light didn't realize he wasn't ever going to lay a hand on him unless he wanted it. But how would he open his Light to the world without hurting him?

"Please Ryou, open your eyes."

That single sentence opened Ryou up. Bakura never said "please" or even talked so softly to him. Was it possible that Bakura really changed?

"It's okay, little Light, I'll never hurt you again." Ryou let an inkling of relaxation trickle into his heart. Could he trust Bakura?

The Dark allowed a small smile to spread across his face. At least Ryou trusted him, even if it was a little bit. And Bakura would make sure that little seed of trust grew. He was never again going to hurt Ryou.

Marik followed the thin line connecting him to Malik. After a quick check with the head of the hospital, he was allowed to see Malik.

Slowly, Marik opened the door to his hikari's room. What greeted his sight was a sleeping pale body among white sheets. He looked so fragile, so delicate, lying there. But it didn't look like Malik was having pleasant thoughts in his dreams.

Marik pulled up a chair and grasped Malik's hand. He almost dropped it in surprise. His hand was freezing cold! Was this normal? Cold sweat dripped from Malik's forehead. Marik growled. Something inside Malik was hurting him…

The Dark channeled his thoughts through his hikari, trying to find what was ailing him. And he found it. A poison, meant to kill the person slowly, while giving them the most horrible memories from their past. And for Malik, there were a hell lot of days to remember.

Overcome with curiosity, Marik pried into Malik's mind and took the brunt of the images, shielding Malik in the process.

_His father stood over him, knife in his hand. He held it over the fire to cleanse the blade. Malik could already feel the promise hanging about in the air. _

"_This is your duty as a tomb keeper. It is time to embrace it." Without so much as a warning, the blade was brought to his skin. Pain seared through his body, throwing his senses out of whack. His father continued, despite Malik's muffled protests. _

_Then Malik realized something. His father was _enjoying_ this! Anger filled his senses, blocking out most of the pain invading his body.

* * *

_

_Malik screamed in pain as the knife traced over old wounds. Damn his Dark! _

"_Come on, Malik, be a man and stop bawling like a baby." The moment the knife left his skin, Malik rolled over and kicked the blade away from him. Marik seemed stunned for a second. The Light took the chance to kick Marik away from him and started for the door. He would be safe outside!_

"_You little shit, you'll pay for that!"_

_Malik feel backwards as Marik grabbed him. Never again! No more! Without a thought to Malik's hate-filled protests, Marik dragged him screaming back into the darkness. _

Marik quickly put up a mind block, surrounding both so neither would experience those horrifying images. Guilt weighed down on his soul. This was all his fault, Malik's pain was caused because of him. The Dark rid his hikari's body of any traces of the drug injected in him. Marik finished and eased himself out of Malik's mind.

"Wake up, hikari."

Malik came to slowly. He was still disoriented from the drug. His yami sat next to him, breathing evenly. Thoughts whirled around in his mind. Why did Marik just save him? Oh, he saw everything. Malik knew his Dark had just saved him. But what he couldn't figure out was why.

_Why did Marik save him?_

"M-Malik," Marik started slowly, trying to regain his breath, "are y-you okay now?"

"I'm fine." Malik replied shortly. Marik flinched. Honestly, he didn't mean to sound ungrateful but there were a lot of things that were confusing him right now. "Sorry, it's just you're acting so out of character and it's throwing me off." Malik paused. "There… there isn't something from me you want, is there?"

Marik stood without answering. At the door, he looked back at his hikari and informed him coldly, "I'll bring your _friends_ here later."

Startled, Malik said nothing in return. He just watched his Dark that had just saved his life walk away without looking back. _And it hurt._

When Ryou awakened, he was in his own room. Relief filled him. It was all a dream. But then, Bakura walked in, holding something. Everything hit him all at once. The plane crash, getting trapped outside his body, everything came back to him.

And one question popped up unwanted. _Why did Bakura save him?_

"Ah, so you're finally awake." Bakura sat down and tossed him an apple. On reflex, Ryou caught it. He blinked twice then looked suspiciously at Bakura. "What? I didn't poison it or anything."

Hesitantly, Ryou bit into the fruit. He braced himself for anything unpleasant. Nothing came. Quickly, Ryou polished off the apple, suddenly ravenous. He glanced at Bakura, prompting him to get him more food. Bakura quickly stepped back.

"I'm not you slave. You do it." He said coldly. Ryou glared and stood shakily. So much for Bakura changing.

Without anyone's help, Ryou made it downstairs in one piece. He noticed Yuugi staring into space and poking absentmindedly at his food. He didn't notice Ryou sitting down next to him. The fellow Light was lost in his own world, that, or he didn't care. Ryou hoped it wasn't the latter.

"Yuugi, you in there?" The addressed teen blinked and turned quickly, tensing. Ryou held up his hands in surrender and Yuugi relaxed when he saw his friend. They hugged, grateful that each survived their ordeal. Now they just had to find Malik, Lissa, and Likika and everything would be fine again.

Their reunion was cut short as Marik returned, muttering something about ungrateful brats. Yuugi and Ryou glanced at each other, silently relaying a message to get out as soon as possible to start looking for their friends and to get away from their insane Darks.

They knew it wouldn't be easy. How often does a pair of supposed dead superstars stroll down the street without a care in the world? Never. The two Lights stole some of their respective counterpart's clothing and it made them look _very, very_ different. They actually could pass as Yami and Bakura if no one paid attention to the little details.

Without much trouble, Yuugi and Ryou made it out the door. They joined powers and searched the area for Malik's signature. It was pulsing erratically but it was strong and there. So the two headed for the hospital with Ryou leading the way.

After explaining their "relation" to Malik, the Lights were allowed to enter. They found Malik staring up at the ceiling blankly. Ryou went up to his prone friend and poked him lightly.

"Malik, are you in there?" At the sound of Ryou's voice, Malik broke his trance.

"Ryou?" Malik's voice cracked. "You're alive? Then, that would mean Marik didn't lie about you. Where's Yuugi?" Ryou pointed to their other friend that was just sitting in a chair, silently observing the reunion between his two best friends.

Malik smiled and motioned for him to come closer. Yuugi complied and came within reaching distance. The Light reached up and hugged his smaller friend softly.

"I'm glad you're both still alive. I really missed you." Yuugi let a smile slip through.

"Yes, I'm glad to be back as well. It wasn't very fun running around trying to avoid a Blue Eyes White Dragon that was trying to eat you."

"We can't stay. You know we have to leave." Malik sighed.

"I know we do but… Marik saved me."

"We have to go. Do you remember why we left in the first place?" Malik blinked then looked at his hands in his lap.

"Yes, I do." He replied quietly.

"Just because they saved us today doesn't mean they won't pull a 180 and hurt us tomorrow." Yuugi added. Ryou nodded. He whipped out his cell phone and speed dialed Kaiba.

"_Hello?_"

"Kaiba, are you all right?"

"_No, but I'll live. Did the Darks find you?_"

"They did but we're leaving ASAP. Find us three tickets to anywhere in coach."

"_Why coach?_"

"So when the Darks ask you for the directions of three tickets in first class, you can prove you don't know."

"_It won't work for long._"

"I don't need it to work forever. Just long enough,"

"_Got it. Three tickets to New York City, New York. Leaves at the airport soon._"

"Thanks, Kaiba. We owe you."

"_No problem. Just stay out of trouble. Good luck._"

"Thanks. Bye." Ryou hung up and turned to his friends. New York City at 10. Come on, let's get going.

Somehow, the three managed to evade their darker halves and retrieve their belongings. After purchasing new suitcases, they were ready to go.

"Hurry up. I don't want to stay here any longer than necessary."

"Don't worry, Ryou, we'll be fine."

They boarded the plane and it took off without incident. Yuugi closed his link just in case, telling his friends to do the same. Everything was safe. But then why did Yuugi have such a bad feeling about this? He entered his soul room to find out what was bothering him.

* * *

"Oh no…"

"Hello, Yuugi." Yuugi's Dark closed the soul room door with an ominous thud. The room suddenly got a lot colder.

"Shit."

"Did you really think I would let you run off again?"

"Why can't you just stay out of my life?"

"Because I'm your shadow. You can't escape me. Ever."

"Damn you."

"Now that's not very nice, is it, _aibou_?"

"Don't call me that! I'm not your partner. I was _never_ your partner. You _used_ me. You lied to me. You tricked me."

"Never."

"And when you were done, you threw me away like an old rag doll."

"I saved you."

"I freed you."

"I protected you!"

"Maybe then, but not anymore. You're a parasite. Always taking and taking and giving nothing."

"Pathetic shit."

"There you go again. Anymore insults to add to injury, _my Pharaoh_?"

"Weak crybaby."

"I hate you."

Yami faltered. "What?"

"I HATE YOU!" Yuugi tried to run out of his soul room. He blocked his tears from Yami's view. The Light was almost out when Yami caught his wrist painfully. Yuugi cried out in pain and Yami pulled him back into the room.

"Yuugi… I—"

"You wanna kill me? Go ahead. I'm weak, pathetic, and vulnerable. Go on, kill me."

"Yuugi, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I don't want to hurt you anymore."

"Then let me go! Let me get on with my messed up life without your interference! I was fine until you showed up! I hate you! Let me go!"

Yami let go. His Light ran out of the room, back into reality.

Fate yelled in anger. By letting go, Yami let his Light slip away once again. "Baka," Fate hissed. "You were supposed to hold on!" The Balance was tilting violently. Time for some drastic measures.

**To Be Continued**

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YD: Hi… don't hurt me. Bye!

HS: I updated… Bye!


	14. Falling Mask

YD: I decided to update early since I don't want the wrath of my reviews coming down on me… don't hurt me… I cherish you all.

HS: Shut up and start the chapter!

YD: Hah… don't own Yuugiou. Don't hurt me.

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**Chapter 14, Falling Mask**

Yuugi opened his eyes frightfully, half expecting to see Yami hovering over him again. He breathed uneasily, seeing demonic red eyes everywhere he turned. Yami was right; Yuugi would never escape the darkness. He could not escape his shadow.

"Yuugi, what happened?" Ryou's panicked voice cut through Yuugi's thoughts, bringing him back to the present.

"I'm fine, just…" Yuugi gasped. "Ryou, I'm not fine! I—" Yuugi's soul was pulled back and he left his friends wide-eyed and staring.

"It's Yami. No one else can affect him like that."

"If Yami is here then our Darks can't be very far away." Malik pointed out. Ryou sighed.

"We can't run away anymore. It's time to face our shadow. Only then can we ever be free." Ryou and Malik shook hands. "It's been nice know you, Malik."

"Good luck to you, Ry." They nodded and retreated into their respective soul rooms.

* * *

"Hello, hikari." Russet brown eyes seemed to glow in the dim lighting of Ryou's soul room.

"Hello, Bakura."

"Are you trying to run away again?"

"What do you think?" Ryou shot back. He paused. "Oh, nevermind. You don't think, do you?" Those eyes narrowed but Bakura otherwise had to reaction to the jibe.

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere you would need to know." Bakura stood impatiently.

"From this point on, you're just an annoyance."

"So I haven't been already? That's news to me."

"What makes you think you can talk that way to me?"

"I gave you life."

"No, I'm the one who gave you life. You were nothing until I came along."

"You were locked away until I came along."

Bakura said nothing. Ryou silently gloated over his small victory.

"I tire of this game. You cannot escape me, hikari."

"Once I am rid of you, I can be free." Bakura smirked.

"Don't you get it? You'll never be free." The Thief backhanded Ryou so hard that the Light fell to the floor in agony. Dizzily, Ryou pressed his forehead to the cold floor. "I gave you the chance to come back in one piece. Now, you're just an annoyance." Ryou turned and glared up at his Dark. Shakily, he got to his feet.

"I'm through being weak." Ryou lunged at his Dark angrily. Bakura jumped out of the way. The Light rolled on the floor out of the way of several flying daggers.

Minutes later, Bakura held Ryou against the wall by the throat. Ryou clawed at the Thief's hands, trying to break free to steal a breath.

"This just proves I'm superior, although I did already know that."

"B-bastard, I hate you!" Bakura's grip loosened.

"What?"

"I hate you!" Ryou slipped out of Bakura's slackened grip and found one of his daggers. He blindly threw it in Bakura's general directions. It buried itself hilt-deep right next to Bakura with a sickening thud. Ryou gasped at what he almost did. After everything that had ever happened, _he still cared_.

Across from him, Bakura sank to the ground. Ryou collapsed as well. Both were exhausted. The first person to stand would be the ultimate victor and the other would be at the mercy of him. Someone just needed to stand.

Bakura refused. A part of him wanted to rip, tear, and kill his hikari until there was nothing left. Another part wanted nothing more than his Light's forgiveness.

"Ryou… I'm sorry, for everything." Bakura curled up and finally let his emotions break through the barrier he put up millenniums ago.

"Bakura, after everything that's happened to me because of you, I still care. I don't want to care anymore. I want the pain to stop."

Slowly, Ryou stood. Bakura closed his eyes, remembering the one remaining on the floor would be at the mercy of the other.

"Open you eyes." Bakura obeyed the voice. He saw the blank, cheerless eyes of his Light. "Game over, Bakura. You have to let go now."

And Bakura let his Light go… but he didn't want to… Silent tears fell from the dark eyes of the ex-tomb robber as Ryou turned to leave.

Ryou was all too aware of the hurt soul behind him. The Light slowly walked up to the door and pulled the handle. Nothing. The door was jammed. The two were stuck in Ryou's soul room.

* * *

Malik growled softly. He couldn't see his Dark, but he could sense his presence. His soul room door slammed shut the instant Malik stepped into the room. The temperature dropped about ten degrees.

"Hello, Malik." Crimson-streaked violet shined in the darkness. Marik snapped his fingers sharply. Immediately, the soul room door slammed shut with a resounding thud. Malik suddenly felt quite small, like a mouse about to be pounced on.

"Marik," Malik hissed, "what do you want from me?"

A sigh escaped the lips of Malik's Dark. "I want you Light to shine in the Darkness of my life again."

"I… I don't know what to say." Marik looked down. As much as it surprised him to note, Malik knew it was the first time he ever saw his Dark so… vulnerable. And it scared him. Slowly, Malik backed away from his Dark.

"I know you don't trust me. But I really want you back. I… don't want to go back to the darkness." Malik pressed himself against his soul room door. Just one motion and he would be free. "You can leave, if you really want to. I'm tired of holding you back. If you want to go, I won't stop you anymore."

"Marik…" Against his will to survive, Malik stepped forward and embraced his Dark. It was a stupid thing to do but Marik surprised him again by hugging back as if his life depended on it. Technically, his life did depend on his hikari. If Malik left, Marik would have nothing tying him to sanity and would fall back in the darkness of the Shadow Realm that was still plaguing him.

"I don't want to be alone anymore."

"I'm sorry, Marik. You should've realized that when you still had me around." Malik pushed his other away harshly. "But now I have my own life. And guess what? You're not part of it."

"Hikari…"

"It's too late for apologies, much too late. You lost your chance years ago." Without looking back at Marik's broken look, Malik fled his soul room as quickly as he could. His hand hovered over the door handle.

_Malik fell backwards as Marik grabbed him. Never again! No more! Without a thought to Malik's hate-filled protests, Marik dragged him screaming back into the darkness._

Malik gasped hoarsely. _"I know you don't trust me." _Marik's words rang in his ears, preventing him from leaving his soul room. He bit back a scream of frustration that came out as a growl. The Light turned back towards Marik.

His Dark was watching him silently, sadly. Hatred glowed in Malik's pale-violet eyes. "How can I trust you? After everything you've done to me, how can I _trust_ you?" Malik's words echoed throughout the entire room. Marik bowed his head once again.

"I realized that I haven't been the best person in the world, but I know you can help me."

"_If_ I help you, do you know what will happen right after?" Marik stayed silent. "I'll fall right back into darkness, just like before. After you use me for your own purpose, you'll just abuse again."

"Malik, I give you my word that I will never lay a hand on you without your consent."

"Your word means nothing to me!" Marik bowed his head once again.

"I know that I have acted like a right jerk but I can change. I know I can."

"No." As soon as the word left his mouth, Marik stance changed. He went from stubbornly sad to absolutely devastated. Malik turned his back on his Dark and sighed heavily. The Egyptian walked up to the door, acutely aware of the depressed look Marik was giving him.

Malik tried the door handle. It stuck fast. NO! Malik pulled harder, trying desperately to get out. This had never happened before! Fear welled up inside him. What to do now?

* * *

Yuugi looked around wildly for any means of escape. None but the door and blackness was surrounding it. Crimson eyes shot open and stared into the soul of its Light. Yuugi involuntarily took a step back. The darkness stepped forward. For every step backward the Light took, the Dark stepped forward.

Soon Yuugi was pressed against the wall and nothing but air separated him from his Darkness. Tentatively, Yami stretched out a hand to touch his trembling hikari. Yuugi slapped the hand away before he could touch him.

Crimson eyes grew sad as they looked upon the form of the terrified yet hating hikari. Yami sighed and stepped back, allowing Yuugi to breathe a little easier. The darkness in the room cleared, allowing the two to see each other.

Yami had a look of remorse and disappointment. Yuugi just looked wary and untrusting. Neither wanted to take their eyes of the other. For a long time, the two just watched each other, unmoving.

Then Yami spoke, voice hollow, "I want you to come back to me, Yuugi." His Light said nothing. "I need you in my life."

"To hurt," Yuugi replied plainly.

"I need your Light… please,"

"To use is to abuse, you've proven it."

"What can I do to regain your trust?" Yami pleaded. Yuugi's eyes hardened.

"By getting out of my life and staying out," he hissed harshly. Yami winced and said nothing. "Why should I trust you? You have given me nothing but hurt and more hurt."

"Darkness cannot exist without the Light and Light cannot shine without the Darkness." Yami said softly.

"What light? You killed that too!" Yami faltered and took a step back. Their positions were now switched. Yuugi was slowly advancing with hate in his eyes. Yami's were filled with nothing but sincere regret and self-hatred.

"Yuugi… aibou… please…"

"I'm not your partner." Yuugi snarled, eyes deadly. "You've done nothing to deserve my trust. Why should I go back with you? Do you realize what you're asking of me?"

"Please find it in your heart to forgive me! I can change!"

"You did change… The first time I saw you, I was terrified. But I blindly trusted you. Duelist Kingdom, the Orichalcos, both times you were so close to losing and took a disastrous chance. You almost sacrificed Kaiba and yourself. Both times, I saved you. I was so naïve, believing you could actually help me."

"I'm sorry." Yami lifted his hand and a dagger sparkled. Yuugi's eyes narrowed.

"Are you going to kill me now?" Yami threw the dagger at his Light's feet. It was the same Yuugi used to cut himself over and over again.

"No. I will never hurt you again."

"I may not be able to escape my shadow but when the Light goes out, the Shadow disappear and Darkness reigns unchallenged. Without you, I'll be free to live."

"But the Darkness will consume you!" Fear crept into his voice steadily.

"A small price to pay for getting rid of you," Yuugi's eyes flickered between innocent amethyst and murderous ruby. The Darkness inside him was taking control.

"Yuugi… you can't… please, don't do this. Come back to the Light. Come back to me!"

"Too late." The crimson won out and Yuugi raised his weapon, ready to strike.

"Yuugi, I know you're still in there. Please come back to me. I need you." Silent tears dripped from Yami's glassy eyes.

Fate cried out in joy. Yami had given her a plea for help, exactly the thing she was looking for to save the Balance. Quickly, she sent a purple spark down the lifeline of Yuugi.

The knife dropped from his hand. Yuugi sank to floor, clutching his head in pain. The memories of his past were clawing at him. Images flashed through his mind. The Puzzle reappeared around his neck, completed. Yami tried to reach his hikari but failed. Both stopped struggling and let the soothing black consume them, casting both into the calming land of sleep.

Chaos shrugged indifferently as her sister danced joyously. So Fate had saved the Balance. Big deal.

With each pair of Light and Dark trapped, Fate could easily bring peace to the Balance and stop it from tipping so precariously. It would take some time for the youngest Light to regain complete trust in his Dark. It was unlikely that he would ever regain a speck of trust. But Fate was determined. Even if she was removed from her place, she would bring peace to the Balance.

All three Darks had shed tears of remorse. When the Lights saw, they would've completed step one of the plan. The barriers that the Darks had put up had fallen. Their mask covering their feelings had faded away.

Fate waved her hand and the six teens started falling… falling… falling… In order to get out, they would to help each other.

Step two was now in motion. Everything was going as planned.

**To Be Continued**

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YD: I'm making this much more complicated that I originally planned. But I don't want to end the story! Besides, I'm having too much fun writing this! I don't want to stop.

HS: I might even make this pass the 20 chapter mark. Cool!

YD: I'm also going to start a Holiday story or stories. Till then, ja!


	15. Fate

I have no idea what I wanted to accomplish with this story all those years ago. Right now I'm thinking there is no way there can be a happy ending. Being threatened with death, escaping, then returning to the abuser is never a good idea. But because this isn't reality, I will write the happy ending.

But do know: I, in no way, condone this behavior. Abuse is a serious thing and if you ever find yourself in an abusive situation, you need to leave. Your love for them will never change them. People do not change.

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**Chapter fifteen, Fate**

All six jerked awake in an empty white room. There were no doors, no windows. Their bodies didn't even cast shadows. Everything was just endless, blank white. Nausea immediately welled in all six. Humans were not designed to bear such unnatural conditions. They couldn't orient themselves. The phenomena was remarkably similar to drowning with no way of knowing which way was up. They were all sprawled on the ground but with the room so white, it felt like they were falling blind.

Yuugi shut his eyes and bit his lips hard. As soon as he tasted blood, he spit on what he considered the floor. There was no blood. Yuugi started hyperventilating, completely forgetting his companions. The oppressive white seemed to choke the life out of him, compressing the air.

Behind him to the left someone dry retched, choking as nothing came up.

He jerked as someone grabbed his wrist with a grip just shy of bruising. Immediately Yuugi knew who held him. He would have pulled away but his yami's touch, while repulsive, grounded him in the white. He refused to open his eyes and subject himself to the blinding white.

Slowly, carefully, Yami slid across the short distance towards his hyperventilating partner, afraid that Yuugi would bolt. Yuugi's breathing was ragged and racing.

"Breathe," Yami whispered. He brought Yuugi's hand to his heart. "Feel me," he continued, breathing in deep and exhaling slowly. As Yami continued, his own eyes closing against the vertigo-inducing white, Yuugi's breathing gradually slowed to match Yami's. They stayed still, umoving but for their chests, pulling in oxygen.

The others barely fared any better. The three Darks, having been trapped in endless black before, was familiar with the feeling of falling in endless colour. However, the white was blinding to them. It was like looking into the sun but instead of letting their eyes rest, they were unable to look away. Hands clamped over wrists as the group struggled to orient themselves into some sort of normalcy that they were used to.

In front of them waited Fate. Having established in their subconscious the need to stay together to breathe, to survive, the white seemed to fade. Corners established themselves. Colour snaked into the walls. The ground beneath their bodies acquired a curious pattern. Before long a room had formed.

"Welcome,"

The unfamiliar voice caused all six to jolt. Their eyes opened, taking in the colour around them almost instantaneously. They shut their eyes again, senses assaulting them. Free hands took to the ground, now a carpet. Slowly they adjusted themselves to the room.

Fate noticed with a private grin that no one let go though a few grips did relax slightly. It would do, she thought, at least it was some progress. She waited patiently as the six shakily got to their feet, standing in a half circle in front of her. They leaned on each other, still shaking off the effects of the emptiness.

"Who are you?" came the inevitable question. She ignored it.

"I have things to explain to you. You will not like what I have to say, but everything I will tell you will be true. You three," she nodded to the Lights, "have tried to run from it before," with a momentary glare for the Darks, she continued, "with good reason of course. But now it is time for Balance to be restored.

"The bond between you must remain. Without it you cannot balance each other out. You have seen the shifts before. The Light must shine brightly to drive back the excess Darkness. As your abuse continued, you shone less and less; this perpetuated the cycle.

"But," she continued, "this does not explain the beginning." All three yamis shrank back, recognising the power behind the strange woman.

"You three sought to harm the Light that kept you sane and pulled you from Eternal Darkness. You lost any claim you had long ago. Your only job was to protect. Instead you drove your sanity away and poisoned them. It was their right to break any bond with you. You three did not even show remorse until your own miserable existences were threatened.

"It is only by my doing that any of you still function. You three Darks would have fallen to insanity long before your Lights even thought to return. You three Lights have been poisoned by Shadow and shine no more.

"As I have said. Balance must be restored. And thus Fate must intervene."

The group exchanged glances. Bakura and Ryou stood side by side, their arms touching from shoulder to hand. Marik loosely clasped Malik's wrist, his thumb brushing Malik's pulse every couple seconds. Only Yami and Yuugi had separated while Fate had spoken.

She eyed them now. "You have driven you Light far indeed." Yami stared at the ground and said nothing.

"There is no changing one's true nature. Your true colours have been shown already. Sending your Lights back will only result in a repetition of what happened before. I cannot condone such behavior but neither can I allow this unbalance to continue."

The three Lights shifted uneasily. Would they be forced to return after being assured the abuse would only pick up again? Death seemed a welcome reprieve.

"If I offered such an ultimatum, what would your choices be?"

"Never," said the Lights in unison.

The three Darks looked at the ground in shame. Being told they would unlearn their lesson and return to the utter destruction of their other halves was tantamount to being told they were monsters. None offered a protest against their Lights' vehement answer.

Fate nodded. "As I knew it would be so. Thus I offer a choice to you. Should anyone prove unwilling, no deal will be made.

"As long as you shine brightly, you will keep the Darkness at bay. To prevent any harm against you again, any strike against you by your other half will be dealt backwards. To harm you will accomplish nothing. You will feel nothing. That who struck the blow will feel the pain times ten. There must be intent behind the blow. An accidental hurt will do nothing. Alcohol will taste like soured milk."

Yami twitched at that but said nothing.

"As I cannot interfere again, I must be thorough. What conditions would you like added?"

"Can you erase memories? Or block them at least?" Yuugi asked.

"Explain your intent."

"I will never give Yami another chance to hurt me. I will never welcome him back into my life. He abused me. He betrayed everything. I loved him. I loved him and he..." Yuugi trailed off, unable to continue.

Yami could only stare. Ryou and Malik both stepped away from their other half.

"The damage goes too deep." Ryou added. "You have assured us that without your measures, they will return to their ways. They will never change."

"I will never be able to trust Marik again. You can't expect us to return just because they can't inflict physical pain on us anymore. There are other ways. You can't stop them from threatening us. Hell they could get creative and send Yami or Bakura to abuse me. They could switch off. There is always another way to hurt someone."

Yuugi pulled Ryou and Malik close to him, whispering his idea. Their other halves did nothing. There existed no words to smooth over their situation. No apology would ever be enough payment for the damaged they had done.

"I propose this: since there is no way with our current memories and experiences that we will ever let them back into our lives, that you block all of our memories. But with conditions."

"Continue,"

"The yamis should be left with a vague recollection of what would happen if they turned to abuse. They need the reminder of the consequences of their actions. Should they fail and turn to abuse anyway, our memories would be returned and we would leave. In order to keep the bond, we would return once a year and only then. There would never be any contact save for that one day a year. Blocking all of our memories is the only way we would ever welcome them back."

The three Lights touched hands, a united front. They had agreed only the one chance. Living with burden and the memories of abuse was a constant torture. Sometimes they would awaken screaming, the horrors of their pasts catching up with them. Occasionally Yuugi fell off the wagon and took a blade to his skin. To remember nothing was a blessing. But to forget was a curse. There was lessons learned in their pain. Horrible lessons no one should ever learn, but lessons nonetheless. Forgetting would provide an escape but at a price.

"She said that we would turn to abuse no matter what." Bakura pointed out. As much as he hated to say, there was truth in the woman's words. It would start small like it always did. A harsh word here or there. A shove then an apology. Then bruises and pain and it would escalate like it always did.

"Can you change our natures?" Yami offered.

Fate shook her head. "I can no more change who you are than you can change into a butterfly."

"If you don't agree," Malik began, "we will have limited contact. Perhaps a visit every couple months or so. A skype call once a week or something similar. We won't cut you off completely. But neither will you have access to us to hurt. We will never be able to go back to what our relationships were before the abuse started."

"I'll do it." They turned to face Marik. "I want the chance. I don't deserve it in the least but if you're offering, then I'll take it. I've a lot to make up for. I'll use the chance well." Malik cracked a very small smile.

Fate nodded. "I will block your memories and leave only vague impressions in Marik."

Marik and Malik approached each other. They tentatively reached to each other, fingers just barely brushing.

"I give you the chance to start again, to make things right. Should you fail in your endeavor, be cursed to feel the effects of the pain you caused randomly for the rest of your natural life. Do you accept these terms and agree to abide by them?"

"Yes," they chorused. Their hands were clasped together. Malik, unafraid, winked at his friends. He closed his eyes as his memories faded. They disappeared.

"I want to accept as well." Bakura said eagerly. He turned to Ryou who regarded him warily. He tried not to take it personally. He had a lot to atone for and not a lot of time to do so.

"I used and hurt you from the moment I met you. I can prove her wrong, Ryou. I can start over with you. I don't need to use you for revenge or anything. I can try to be a friend. Well, as much a friend I can be. Will you give me a chance?"

"I want to give you that chance. It's a crazy, foolish idea, but I won't remember why. It will be nice not to wake screaming." Bakura bit his lip harshly at that. That was his fault too.

They came together and clasped hands.

"I give you the chance to start again, to make things right. Should you fail in your endeavor, be cursed to feel the effects of the pain you caused randomly for the rest of your natural life. Do you accept these terms and agree to abide by them?"

"I agree." Bakura intoned seriously. Ryou nodded his consent, a little shocked by Bakura's ready agreement. They faded from sight as well, leaving only Yuugi and Yami.

They regarded each other quietly, saying nothing, features betraying none of their feelings.

"You said you loved me."

"I did."

"When did you...?"

"You mean when did you stick a knife in my back and tore out my heart?" Yuugi asked sarcastically. Yami said nothing. "Where do I start?" A vindictive laugh tore through Yuugi's throat. "How about how you left me to mourn my grandfather alone? Or when you threatened to sell my body and talents for your own gain? How about when you threatened to kill me? Multiple times!?"

"Yuugi, I..."

"No, no, shut up. You don't get to say anything to me. I came up with that idea because I knew it was what Ryou and Malik wanted. They have never experienced a yami that was friendly. That helped. They had only always known pain. And they didn't want to remember it. I said it for them. But that doesn't mean I want you back in my life. I will gladly carry the burden of remembering for all three of us if it means never having to let you in again.

"Did you know, I should be dead several times over again? Do you know how many times I cut myself because I thought there must be something wrong with me. Something in me to drive you away. I twisted my own abuse to thinking it was my fault and not yours. That somehow I was the cause of my own destruction.

"You drove me to that, you bastard. I loved you. I loved you so much. I thought that if I could love you enough, you might stop. You might see how much it hurt that you pushed me away. You never did. You just continued and it never stopped and _I wanted to die_."

"So you ask me when I ceased loving you and when I started hating you with everything I am?"

Yami couldn't even meet his Light's eyes. But he could feel the accusing stare leveled at him. He wished to meet his Light's eyes, to face the accusal in them. He had not the courage to see the hatred though.

"I never stopped."

Yami jerked in surprise, eyes lifting from the ground.

"I hated you, make no mistake. But I never stopped loving you. So I hated myself for that too. There was so much hatred rolling through my body that I could choke on it. It gave me something to focus on. Sometimes I would dream of you. How you used to be. A touch on the shoulder, a friendly pat on the back." Yuugi paused, pushing back frustrated tears. Yami took a step forward, hand outstretched.

Yuugi stepped back instinctively. Yami dropped his hand. Yuugi continued, "I'd dream about a kiss. Just a simple kiss."

The corner of Yuugi's mouth twitched up in hatred. "Then the next day I'd wake screaming because you stabbed me in a nightmare." Yami made a distressed noise but stepped no further, made no motion to reach to his Light.

"Knowing all of that, give me one good reason I should give you a chance. Give one single reason why I should let you back into my life."

With no hesitation whatsoever, "I want to see what your face looks like when I kiss you."

Yuugi blinked in surprise. Yami was shocked by his own admission himself. Still he was a master duelist, he recognized the advantage when he saw it.

"I will never be able to reach for you without you flinching away first. I'll never be able to show you how gentle I can be. How I can worship your body, if you let me."

"You've never offered any such affection before." Yuugi said frankly.

"You've loved me despite my abuse. I can certainly grow to love you back. We can start over again. You'll tell me that you love me and I'll be surprised but I know I can love you back. You're..." Yami struggled to find the words, "you're just... I see you and I want you. I want to have you in my life. I want to know what your lips feel like against mine. What sounds you make in pleasure. I want..."

"There are no words to describe how lucky my abuse didn't turn sexual."

Yami flinched back violently, as if Yuugi had dealt him a physical blow. He even stumbled back a pace or two, a protest immediately rising to his lips.

"You forget, Games Master, that I know you. I know how you think. I know everything about you. The words you're saying are a strategy. You want that chance, and you'll say anything to get it. After all, we'll remember nothing of this conversation."

"No, that's not why,"

"Is it really?" Yuugi cut him off, "These words you're saying to me, are they real at all?" he sneered. "Are they just another ploy? You've changed so little. Not once have I heard you apologise to me. Not once have you even mentioned how you turned my own friends against me.

"I can see it in your face, the desire to strike back. To yell, to scream, to tell me I'm wrong, pathetic, useless. That, of course, you're not lying to me. You love me."

Yami choked back his response. He would not fail again. If this was a test, he would endure the words. Some of the truth smack him in the face though. The effort in avoiding escalating this to a screaming match was difficult.

"You nature is to hurt. To use, abuse, and throw away without a second thought. She said earlier," Yuugi gestured to the woman still waiting patiently, no emotion on her face, "that you showed no remorse until your own life was threatened. What am I supposed to think about that, hm? That given the chance you'll love me forever and we'll live happily ever after? Don't be ridiculous."

Yami kept his mouth shut, determined not to fail this test. If Yuugi was searching for a reason not to give Yami that final chance, he would be silent.

"Allow me to enlighten you. Having just admitted my love for you regardless of the fact that you made me bleed, you sought to use my love as a weak point. You go on the offensive, telling me that you can love me if you'll just give me a chance. And what is poor, little Yuugi, so in love with his yami, to do? Why, he'll give in, of course, because he _loves his yami so_."

"I, I, Yuugi it's not like that, please,"

"Tell me, Games Master, what is your next move? Having your plans uncovered is a bit more than you expected from you silly little aibou, huh? Have you no contingency plan? It seems like you're a bit off your game today."

"No, Yuugi, stop this, please," In his desperation, Yami forgot himself and stepped forward, reaching for Yuugi, wishing to slow the slew of hateful words being thrown at him.

Yuugi caught his wrist and bent it backwards at a painful angle. Yami went down to one knee to prevent Yuugi from breaking it. He barely stopped himself from kicking out at Yuugi's knees to get him to release his wrist. Instead he just gasped in pain as Yuugi increased the pressure slowly. One quick move and his wrist would break.

"I learned so many things to prevent anyone from ever touching me without my permission again. I'll forget every single one of those lessons." Yuugi let go and stepped back. Yami remained in his kneeling position on the ground. He looked down at the intricate patterns on the carpet below him before looking up to meet Yuugi's eyes.

"I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I know you hate me. I just," Yami looked down again, "I can't even offer an explanation for what I did to you. There's no excuse. If you just give me this one chance, I swear I won't screw it up. I know that's what abusers say but I can change. I really, really can, Yuugi. Do you remember how I was when you first freed me?"

Yuugi nodded warily, already knowing where Yami was going with his argument.

"I was out of control. I hurt people. But I did it in defense of you." At Yuugi's scowl, he quickly continued, "I know you never asked me of it. But I wanted to defend you. You had nothing and people treated you like nothing. To me you were the brightest thing I had ever encountered. And the light you shone tempered me. I basked in that light. I reclaimed my sanity. But somewhere along there I lost sight of what I set out to do. If you refuse me this one last chance, I will respect your wishes. I'll never forgive myself for what I did and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. We'll both bear the burden of my actions."

"Prove it."

"How?"

"Prove to me that you mean what you say."

"I swear on the Puzzle that held my soul for 3000 years that I will never harm you again."

Yuugi kneeled down to peer into Yami's eyes. He didn't know what Yuugi was looking for but Yuugi seemed to nod to himself. He stood again and held out a hand.

Yami stared at the proffered limb. It was the first time that Yuugi had initated contact between them that wouldn't end in pain. Looking up into Yuugi's eyes, he took Yuugi's hand. They stood, facing each other.

Impulsively, Yami leaned forward and pecked Yuugi on the cheek. Instead of flinching away from the sudden movement, Yuugi just clamped down on Yami's hand briefly. Momentary tenseness instead of jerking away. Yami could deal with that.

"I've always had some affection for you. And I truly think that, given the chance, we would be amazing together."

"I have my doubts about you. If I do this and you fall off the wagon, I will never contact you again. Malik and Ryou be damned, I will kill us both. There will be no bond. Nothing will ever convince me to give you another chance. Do you understand me?"

"Loud and clear... aibou."

Yuugi paused, staring at Yami. Nervously, unsure if he had perhaps crossed a line, Yami stroked the inside of Yuugi's wrist.

"We'll be partners again, aibou." Yami declared confidently when Yuugi continued his silence.

"Have you made your decision then," Fate asked, startling the two.

"I have," Yuugi answered. Yami's hand shook slightly from within Yuugi's grip. "I will give him a chance."

She nodded. So she had predicted. "I give you the chance to start again, to make things right. Should you fail in your endeavor, be cursed to feel the effects of the pain you caused randomly for the rest of your natural life. Do you accept these terms and agree to abide by them?"

"I do."

Yuugi blinked. Of all the words in the world, he chose those words? Did he understand the weight of them? Yami met Yuugi's questioning gaze and winked. Slowly, very slowly, a tiny smile graced Yuugi's lips.

They disappeared.

* * *

"This is your captain speaking. There seems to be a couple problems with the instruments. Nothing to worry about, but I am required to turn around and land the plane. Please remained seated."

Only ten minutes had passed since the plane took off from Domino.

"I guess we're postponing our tour of New York then eh?" Malik asked his friends. "At least we'll spend a bit more time with our yamis before heading off to work."

"They were pretty sad to say goodbye, weren't they? Least we'll get a couple hours."

"Let's do dinner with them."

* * *

As the plane pulled back into the airport, everyone got on their cell phones to complain to their family members and reassure them that nothing was wrong, they just turned back is all.

Yuugi, Ryou, and Malik trudged away from the terminal. Ryou called his yami for a ride, explaining their situation.

"At least we'll be able to spend more time with our yamis, eh?"

"We could move our franchise headquarters here so we could spend more time with them." Ryou suggested. "It would be easier on us and them. Our fan following would probably soar if we pick up a new group."

"We'd still have to leave for concerts and tours though." Yuugi pointed out.

"But at least we'd get to spend more time here."

"We'll talk to our agents after dinner then."

"Should we tell our yamis before or after the move?" Ryou asked. "I say after, just in case our agents advise against it. Wouldn't want them to get their hopes up. They always look really pained whenever we leave, like they think we'll never come back."

"I'm for later as well." Yuugi said.

"I'm outnumbered so I guess I'll just change my vote."

"I'll get started talking now, I suppose," Ryou said, pulling out his phone again. "Let me know when our yamis show up."

Yuugi and Malik argued the pros and cons of moving until Bakura pulled up; predictably, he had brought Marik and Yami with him. The three climbed into the car and they drove off for some dinner together.

If Yami stared at Yuugi fondly as they all argued about where to go to eat, nobody commented on it.

The End

* * *

So finally, _finally_, I can say goodbye to this story permanently. Thank you everyone for reading. I can't believe it's been so long. I tried to wrap up what plot holes I could, but honestly, some are just too much. I could hardly stand to read what I had written. So there it is.

Remember, I beg of you, that abuse_ is not a good thing_. I'm not too sure what my younger self was thinking when she began this. If you ever find yourself a victim of domestic violence, call the police. Call the domestic abuse hotline (1 800 799 7233). DO NOT STAY IN A RELATIONSHIP WHERE YOU ARE BEING ABUSED. THERE IS NEVER ANY EXCUSE FOR ABUSE. Had I been in Yuugi's position, Yami would have never seen me again. I wrote the happy ending because I believe in happily ever afters.

Thank you everyone.


	16. Epilogue: Marik and Malik

Jfc the epilogue I expected to be short and sweet is turning into a monster. So have this til I finish. It's rather short because I couldn't think of a realistic problem for them to get over together. If you think of one, PM me and I'll take it under consideration. No promises.

Some sexual content below but nothing too graphic.

* * *

Marik and Malik, a couple weeks after Fate's intervention

"Oi come back here you bastard!" Malik chased his errant yami around the house while the insane bastard cackled madly.

"You'll never take me alive!" Marik declared, waving the sheet music to the band's latest song. Their band still hadn't faded in popularity (mostly due to how hot the three were, but who was he to complain how their popularity came about).

"Ryou will kill me if he has to print out another copy! This is the tenth time!"

In the middle of a dramatic getaway where Marik would cackle triumphantly as his despondent hikari admitted his defeat, he tripped over a misplaced book and instead getaway ended in a dramatic flop.  
Malik huffed his displeasure and stood over his ridiculous other half as he lie sprawled on the ground.

"You are such a wanker, I swear, Marik."

"You've been spending too long in the UK if you're picking up British slang." Marik commented from the floor, holding up the sheet music in defeat. Malik took it with a victorious noise. Marik kicked the book that caused his defeat under the couch.

"Hey! Don't do that. That book saved my ass from Ryou's wrath." He bent down and reached for the book, reaching amongst dustbunnies for the hard cover.

"It won't save your ass from me." Marik waggled his eyebrows outrageously causing Malik to roll his eyes as he stood, book in hand. He wiped at the cover, brushing away the dust.

"You know we're not like that, you crazy fuck. Get over yourself already."

"Aww, come on! Yami and Yuugi are shagging," Marik grimaced, "shagging? Where the fuck did I pick up a word like shagging?"

Malik smirked to himself and offered a hand to his yami.

"Anyway, like I was saying," Marik continued, taking his hikari's hand, "Yami and Yuugi are fucking like rabbits. We could so outdo them! Besides we're halves of one soul; we're practically meant to be!" Marik whined plaintively.

"You know they're actually not having sex right? They're taking it slow. They're taking it so slow they don't even know they're in a relationship."

"Slower than an underaged girl and her older boyfriend."

"Hey that's their choice. Good on them. Whatever. Why do you care anyway?"

"We could beat them! If we slept together then we would beat the Pharaoh at something!"

Malik rolled his eyes and ignored his yami as per usual when he got into ridiculous spiels about how they should be lovers. He reorgnised his out of order music as he walked towards his bedroom to hide them for the eleventh time.

As he entered his room, Marik on his heels, the sheet music went flying, scattering about the room. Malik found himself pinned against his own bedroom door, both wrists above his head, held with a firm hold. Marik himself was between his slightly parted legs, leaning into Malik's space with an oddly intense look on his face.

"You have about thirty seconds to explain to me what you're doing before I start breaking bones." Malik said calmly. He knew he could take his yami if it came down to a fight. There would be bruises but he could get away if he needed to. As he planned his escape, Marik opened his mouth.

"I really think that we would be amazing together." Marik answered, loosening his grip on Malik's wrists. His fingers stroked Malik's palms, betraying his nervousness. He crowded closer into the heat of Malik's body, slotting their hips together.

"The Pharaoh and his,"

"Have a care how you finish that description. That's my friend you're talking about." Malik's eyes narrowed.

"His hikari, Malik, I'm not stupid, I'm not going to insult your friend while I'm trying to," Marik growled, words failing him. "Okay, look, I'm shit at words and explanations and reasons. Can I just show you what I mean?"

"And that would entail?" Malik asked, losing feeling in his arms as the conversation continued.

"A kiss," Marik answered eagerly, "just one, just to show you that we could be amazing together."

"One kiss," Malik agreed. As Marik leaned closer, he continued, "but you let my hands go. If we're doing this, we're doing it on equal terms. Got that?"

Marik nodded and released his grip on Malik's wrists. His right hand went to Malik's hip, where it slipped under Malik's shirt and gripped his waist, pulling Malik flush against him. His left hand also went under Malik's shirt to his back, tracing the markings there he knew by heart.

"You like to pin me a lot, don't you?" Malik queried from his position against the wall, still caged by Marik's limbs. His own hands rested around Marik's waist.

"I always have this feeling," Marik explained, "that you'll up one day and disappear and cut me out of your life. I always have this fear that you'll leave me behind." Marik bit his lip, looking uncharacteristically vulnerable. Malik tightened his grip in response. "I'll do or say something that will drive you away from me. I'll never see you again. Just like before, when you left with Ryou and Yuugi. I didn't think you'd ever come back."

"Shut up and kiss me already, you crazy bastard." Malik's right hand went up to Marik's neck and pulled him into a kiss.

As far as first kisses went, it could have gone better. Marik was unprepared and teeth clacked together unpleasantly. Malik pulled back slightly, their lips still touching lightly and Marik made a noise he'd swear against forever and followed the movement, closing the gap again.

Now this was much better, Malik thought idly as the kiss deepened. They opened their mouths to each other and fought for dominance of the kiss. The sounds they were making were almost obscene.

Malik's hips shifted and Marik faltered, allowing Malik to take control of the kiss. Marik growled into his mouth and damn, that was hot, Malik thought. He pulled away to drag a long breath of air into his lungs. Marik panted slightly against his neck. Using the momentary lull, Malik moved quickly and switched their positions.

As Marik recovered from the sudden switch, Malik positioned their hips together and grinded against the other man. Marik moaned from the sudden friction and Malik attacked his mouth. They continued wetly, both trying to control the kiss.

They parted again, breathing hard. Marik tilted his head up, resting against the wall. Malik bowed his head and rested against his yami's shoulder, breathing against the other man's neck.

"Told you we'd be amazing together," Marik whispered.

"So much for one kiss," Malik muttered. Looking at each other, they grinned slightly.

"We're not going to take this as slow as those other two are, are we?" Marik asked worriedly. "Because I don't think I'd survive the constant sexual frustration." He gestured to their lower halves, still pressed up against each other. Malik shifted and they both moaned. "I'd… I'd hate to take care of this myself." Marik panted. "Besides," he added with a cheeky grin, "partners are supposed to help each other out."

"Wow who'd say no to such a charming proposition," Malik snarked. He paused and they regarded each other for a moment. "I hope you don't expect us to jump into my bed and go at it hard and fast." Malik warned, "Because that is definitely not happening anytime soon."

Marik shook his head. "I'll take whatever you want to give me. I won't even push you," he paused, "okay no, that's a lie, I'll push for you to have sex with me, probably all the time, but I'll never touch you without your consent."

"I'll take that." Malik's hands went to his yami's jeans, pulling them down.

"Fuck, Malik," Marik moaned as his hikari palmed him. His hands pulled at Malik's shirt, trying to remove it without losing that lovely pressure against his hips.

"Figures you're already pushing," Malik joked. Marik didn't even respond, lost in a haze of pleasure. While Malik was pleased he was so capable of removing Marik's mind, he was feeling a bit left out. "Come on, you greedy bastard," he dragged Marik towards his bed, backshuffling, glad he wasn't tripping over his pants like Marik seemed to be.

Once they hit the bed, Marik seemed to regain his senses. He seemed desperate to get his hands on Malik's skin. Then most thoughts faded away in lieu of warmth and pleasure.


	17. Epilogue: Bakura and Ryou

Here's the next part. Be aware that there are minor references to rape below. Nothing too graphic but be aware it is there. Also, more sexual situations.

* * *

Ryou and Bakura, two years after Fate's intervention

Bakura had been acting strange lately, Ryou decided. Every time Ryou entered a room, Bakura seemed to slink away. He stayed if Ryou attempted to start a conversation, but he never responded looking Ryou in the eye.

Even during group dinners with the rest of the gang, Bakura was quieter and less colourful. He still snarked and argued with Marik and Yami but it almost seemed like he seemed to be putting up a façade.

He'd asked Marik and Yami if they'd noticed anything different or whether Bakura had spoken to them, but they just hemmed and hawed and generally acted extremely, unhelpfully suspicious. Fat lot of good they were. He'd even asked Yuugi and Malik if they knew anything. They were just about as helpful as their yamis but at least they were more apologetic and genuine.

So Ryou came up with a brilliant plan of cornering his yami. As it turns out, cornering a Thief King was rather difficult. They lived together but they might as well have lived on different continents for all Ryou saw his yami. Still Ryou preserved. Bakura seemed like smoke though. Every time Ryou was sure this would be the time that everything would work out, Bakura vanished through that door that Ryou swore he locked earlier.

Another week went by with Bakura's twitchiness ramping up slowly. Finally Ryou was fed up with waiting for Bakura to come to him and explain what was plaguing him like a responsible, mature adult. At the rate his ridiculous yami was going, he'd get an explanation on his deathbed.

Sneaking quietly as he could in the dead of night, (having a Thief King as a yami had its perks) Ryou crept into Bakura's room. Bakura was a notoriously light sleeper but Ryou knew exactly where Bakura had rigged up some noise traps. He locked the door and, for good measure, locked the window.

Exits accounted for, Ryou peered over at his sleeping yami. He wasn't sure if it was the dim moonlight peeking through the windows or something else but Bakura looked terrible. Ryou felt a brief pang of guilt for what he was about to do, but it was the only way he'd get answers. Preparing himself for a quick retaliation, (seriously, Thief Kings' have killer instincts), Ryou pulled out a set of handcuffs from his pocket.

But what to handcuff Bakura to? Bakura's bed didn't have anything, it was practically a mattress on the ground. The desk was a possibility but would leave Bakura rather uncomfortable. Himself, he finally decided, he would handcuff Bakura to himself. He'd have to do this quickly, with one movement, otherwise the clacking of the cuffs would surely awaken Bakura.

He was right, he was always right, fuck, _fuck_!

With a snarl, Bakura leapt at him, grabbing his shirt, yanking him forward, and slamming him down on the bed. Bakura straddled him and pinned his arms with an iron grip. It felt like the handcuffs weren't affecting him at all, Jesus, _was that a knife at his throat_?

Ryou ceased breathing. He relaxed all his limbs as much as he could. (Fucking Thief Kings and the fucking instinct, fuck.) Ryou cursed his body and the inopportune timing but wow, his yami was really warm.

As Bakura shook off his sleep, he looked down at his captive. At this angle, at this light, Ryou couldn't see Bakura's eyes, but it was pretty obvious the second Bakura realised who it was that he had pinned on his bed.

The knife left his throat so fast Ryou was surprised Bakura didn't cut himself in his haste to get it away from Ryou's skin. Not that Ryou was grateful, really, but was it really necessary to throw the knife across the room.

"What the fuck were you thinking? I could have fucking killed you! Are you listening to me? Never sneak up on me like that!" Bakura shook Ryou's shoulders roughly, forcing Ryou's arm up where their wrists were connected. The rattling of the short chain cut the rant short.

"What the fuck, Ryou? No, nevermind that. Did I cut your skin?" Bakura leaned down as if he could inspect the damage in the darkness.

"Did you just _lick_ me?" Ryou demanded, completely shocked.

"No blood," Bakura ignored him. He sounded relieved. More than relieved, Ryou realised.

"You could have just turned on the light," Ryou pointed out, gesturing to the desk beside them with his free hand.

"Right," Bakura dragged out the word, slightly embarrassed. He leaned over and flicked the table lamp on, bathing the room in light. They both blinked as their eyes readjusted.

Bakura lifted Ryou's chin and inspected the skin with a critical eye. "No blood." he announced again with the same odd tone as before. Bakura seemed to sag against him before straightening suddenly, completely ignoring the fact that he was still straddling his hikari.

"What the fuck were you thinking?" he hissed, suddenly furious now that it had been fully established that Ryou hadn't been harmed. "I could have killed you! And what about those tactics I taught you ages ago? You didn't fight back at all!"

"Not fighting back is what probably saved me." Ryou pointed out. This almost seemed to make Bakura angrier. His hands twitched towards Ryou's throat again. Ryou wondered idly whether it was to choke him to death or check if he really hadn't cut Ryou's skin. The shifting of the chain seemed to snap him out of it again.

"And what," Bakura shook the chain connecting them, "the _fuck_ is this?"

"You've been avoiding me. I thought this was the best way to alleviate that."

"By handcuffing the two of us in the middle of the night? Does it even matter to you that_ I almost killed you_?"

"You would never hurt me." Ryou interjected calmly. The look on Bakura's face was so tortured that it took Ryou's breath away. An eyeblink later, the anger was back.

Bakura inspected the cuffs with a critical eye. Given enough time he could, and would, break out of them. (Thief King indeed).

"You are, however, jerking my wrist quite a lot. It is starting to hurt a bit."

Immediately Bakura stilled, dropping his hands into his lap and finally allowing Ryou to lower his arm from the awkward position it had been in.

"If you hadn't cuffed us, we wouldn't be in this position," Bakura snarled. However, he reached out to Ryou's sore wrist and stroked the skin lightly. Ryou decided not to comment on that.

"It was the only way I could ensure you wouldn't slip away again. You've been avoiding me for quite a while."

"No, I haven't. I've just been busy."

"You haven't been sleeping well." Ryou commented apropos of nothing.

Bakura jerked very slightly. But Ryou knew what he was looking for. He was a Thief King's hikari after all.  
"You're going to ask me why I think that." Bakura's mouth snapped shut. "Stop cursing me in your head." Bakura frowned. "No, I just know how you think is all." Bakura looked positively murderous. "42." "No, I'm not cheating; the link is closed and you'd know if it wasn't." "That's a lie; you wouldn't know what to do without me."

"I can make sure no one can hear you scream." Bakura growled.

"I'm positively terrified, I assure you. Now shut up a second and let me explain." He waited until Bakura nodded reluctantly.

"First of all, I managed to get into your room, lock your door and window, and handcuff you to myself before you finally woke up. Secondly, you're still not free of the cuffs. You hate being bound. That chain shouldn't have held you longer than thirty seconds. Thirdly, you look like a raccoon. Seriously have you seen the bags under your eyes? You look like you haven't slept well in weeks. Fourly, you're still straddling me."

As soon as Ryou finished the word 'straddling', Bakura scrambled backwards, forgetting the chain. As it pulled taut, it yanked at Ryou's wrist harshly, pulling a pained sound from his throat. At the sound Bakura hit the floor, gasping in agony. He writhed, scratching at his wrist like it had been cut off. Ryou, leaning over the edge of the mattress was shocked at the image. It was unlike Bakura to react so violently to pain.

"'Kura?" Ryou whispered, reaching out his free hand to hover over Bakura's shoulder. Very slowly, he dropped his hand, partially afraid that Bakura would react badly to his touch. Bakura's shoulder shook slightly but otherwise did not move.

"'Kura please look at me."

Obediently, Bakura looked up. Ryou gasped at the raw agony in his eyes.

"I hurt you." Bakura intoned dully. That voice couldn't fool Ryou. There was anguish underneath that dull voice.

"You hurt yourself far worse." Ryou pointed out. He shifted the chain between them. "You just shocked me, that's all. No harm done. What about you? Did it catch your bone or something? Is that why it hurt so badly?"

"No I..." Bakura paused, "it was because," another pause, "fuck why can't I remember?"

"Kura?"

"It was something. Something... I knew what it was, I just... forgot it."

"Bakura, you are starting to scare me."

That seemed to snap his yami out of it. He looked up guiltily. "I'm sorry." he blurted out.

The apology shocked Ryou. Very rarely did Bakura apologise for anything. Even when he was wrong, he just mulishly stuck to his guns. Though he rarely said the words, Ryou would find small gifts directly proportional to how sorry Bakura had been. Ryou didn't mind his yami's inability to say the words. He was all right with Bakura apologising through his actions.

"Kura it's okay. Come back here. Tell me what's wrong. You've been acting very strangely these past few weeks and it's really starting to worry me."

Bakura didn't move.

"If you tell me what's wrong, I'll remove the cuffs."

Bakura glared at him. "What makes you think I'm incapable of removing them myself?"

There was the heated gaze he was used to. It was almost a relief to see the fire in his yami's eyes again.

"Even if I gave you the key to the cuffs, you wouldn't be able to remove them. Have you seen your hands, Bakura?"

Bakura held up his hands in front of his face. He could see nothing wrong with them.

"They're shaking."

Now that Ryou had pointed it out, Bakura could see them trembling. He could still take the cuffs off but it would take time. With Ryou as an added distraction, determined to keep them cuffed, it would be almost impossible. He was stuck.

"Now come here," Ryou patted the mattress. Bakura rose shakily, wrist still sending agonised messages to his brain. He was so sure he knew the reason why the pain exploded out of nowhere too... "Tell me what's been bothering you. I'm sure it has to do with your lack of sleep but I can't quite figure out why."

His hikari was too smart. There would be no getting out of this without providing Ryou an explanation. But he wasn't a Thief King for nothing. A little lie here and there and Ryou would be pacified.

"The truth, Bakura," Ryou warned.

Just before Bakura could open his mouth and lie, Ryou clapped a hand over his lips.

"Whatever you're going to say to me is a lie. I can see it in your eyes and face. That's the fifth reason why I know something is wrong. I can see your lies before you say anything. Usually I can just catch them a good percentage of the time. (Perks of being a Thief King's hikari). But lately, I know you're going to lie before you say them."

Caught again.

"So the truth. You're not going anywhere and you can't lie to me."

"I dream about you." Bakura blurted out. To his credit, his hikari didn't even seem fazed.

"I assume I'm doing more than just being myself."

"You're screaming." That got him a couple of shocked eyeblinks.

"This is like pulling teeth, Bakura. Just tell me, in nice long sentences, what exactly is happening in these dreams."

"I... I..." Bakura looked ashamed, "I'm hurting you. I'm _abusing_ you. I make you _bleed_." Bakura sounded so agonised that Ryou's breath caught in his throat. He squeezed Bakura's free hand.

"I shove you around; I beat you; I even deliberately cut your skin." Bakura seemed so horrified by his dream self. "The teeth of the Ring were buried in your chest." Bakura's palm touched Ryou's chest where Ryou assumed the Ring had cut into him. Beneath his shirt was pristine, unscarred skin. Ryou covered Bakura's hand over his chest.

"Do you need to see?" he asked quietly. Bakura looked at him, so hopefully, it made his heart ache. How long had Bakura been tortured by these images? Ryou's view of Bakura's face was obscured momentarily as he removed his shirt. Placing the garment on the table beside them, Ryou took the opportunity to turn the light towards them.

As he turned back around, Bakura's fingers were just inches from his skin. Ryou nodded his assent. Slowly, Bakura touched five points on Ryou's chest.

"You always begged me to stop, that you would do anything to make the pain stop. Then sometimes I'd go after your friends. You'd beg me to hurt you instead, those times. I never stopped, Ryou. I laughed; I _laughed_." Bakura pulled his hand away from Ryou's chest like he'd been burnt.

"I'd see you the next morning, smiling, laughing at me and I'd be so relieved that it was a dream, here was the proof, in front of me, that my heart hurt."

Ryou said nothing.

"You were so strong too, Ryou. You were always so defiant even if I hurt you worse because of it. The way you defended your friends, when woke up, always made me so proud. But Ryou, your _screams_," Bakura pressed his free palm over his eyes. "I enjoyed hurting you. That's why I avoided you. I saw you and all I could think of was your screaming."

"Bakura," Ryou started, pulling Bakura's hand away from his face.

"No, no, I'm not done, Ryou, after all that, you never broke. And it angered me. And I... I... _Fuck_, Ryou, I don't want to continue,"

"I can't let you go until I know everything."

"You are going to hate me after I say this, Hikari." he warned.

"These are nightmares, Bakura. No matter what you say, these things never happened or will ever happen. And the fact that these images that your dream self took so much pleasure in, but horrify you, is telling."

Bakura gritted his teeth. Ryou waited patiently, one hand on Bakura's knee.

"Like I said your defiance angered me. I wanted to make you bleed and hurt so I," Bakura squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head. "_I forced myself on you_." Bakura choked out. Ryou's grip on Bakura's knee tightened.

"I still remember exactly how you felt around me, how tight you were. Ryou,_ I enjoyed it_. And when I finished I just left you there. I walked away from your crying body, covered in bites and scratches, and, and..." A stifled sob escaped Bakura's throat. "That's what I've been seeing this past week. Over and over again. The same scene. I can't sleep without seeing it. I've tried to go without, I have, but,"

"REM rebound, I know,"

"Exactly, and I'm so tired that I can't fight the need and I sleep and that's all I see. Then I wake up and I have to vomit because_ how could I enjoy doing that_?"

"It wasn't you, Bakura, not really. It was only a nightmare."

"What if it's not?"

"Bakura I'm pretty sure I'd remember if such a traumatising thing ever happened to me."

"Yes, right, you're right. I know, but,"

"It feels so real, yeah?"

"Always," was Bakura's ragged answer. He still hid his face in his hand, refusing to look Ryou in the eye.

"You can't control what you dream, Bakura. Nightmares are just that. Nightmares. They have no place in the waking world." Ryou gently pulled Bakura's hand down. He didn't comment on how Bakura's eyes seemed shiny with unshed tears in the light.

"I can't keep going like this Ryou. I feel like I'm spread too thin. I can't sleep and when I do, all I see is," Bakura grit his teeth and shook his head. "I can't sleep."

Ryou produced a key from his pocket. "The sixth reason why I knew something was wrong was because you haven't lifted this key from me. Some Thief King you are." He unlocked their cuffs and momentarily massaged his wrist.

Tossing the cuffs and key onto the table, Ryou, with courage he didn't know he had, lay back on Bakura's bed, still shirtless. Bakura stared at him, unmoving.

"Come on then," Ryou beckoned. "You need sleep. I'll be here to wake you up if I need to. And if you dream, you can assure yourself immediately that I'm perfectly fine."

Woodenly, Bakura laid down on the bed. They were shoulder to shoulder, staring up at the ceiling. It was probably the most awkward bed sharing in the history of bed sharing.

"Well kill the light, 'Kura."

Bakura reached up and shut the light off, plunging the room into darkness. Honestly it was like lying next to a tree. Ryou huffed a breath and turned over until his body was facing Bakura. As he settled himself, he rested his head on Bakura's chest, over his heart. Was it his imagination or was it picking up speed? He tangled their legs together. Bakura's right arm cradled Ryou's body, hand settling on his hip. His thumb caressed the exposed skin there and Ryou shivered slightly.

Ryou leaned over Bakura's body and pulled a blanket over them. He settled back into his position, head pillowed on Bakura's chest. He yawned widely.

"Sleep, 'Kura," he whispered, "you won't dream again tonight."

So they slept.

Bakura shifted in his sleep once a while, always waking Ryou up. He'd sleepily check for any negative expressions on Bakura's face and always finding none, went back to sleep.

Ryou blinked awake. Sunlight played with the dust floating in the room. He shifted and looked at Bakura, wondering why he was awake. Bakura hadn't dreamed at all. As Ryou removed himself from Bakura's sleepy cling, Bakura didn't even twitch. Ryou shook his head. His yami was more tired than Ryou previously thought. Still he carefully, quietly left the room to do his business.

When Ryou returned to the room, he grabbed his sleep shirt from its abandoned position and slipped it back on. About to leave, he heard a tiny sound. He jerked back around, knowing immediately where its source was. In his absence Bakura's face had twisted up in pain, his fingers clenching on nothing.

Ryou stood over Bakura's body, hoping there wouldn't be a repeat of last night's violent awakening. He stroked Bakura's fingers, smoothing out their tenseness. Bakura subsided a little but the expression didn't fade at all. Sighing soundlessly, Ryou got back on the bed.

Deciding that there wasn't anything important to be getting along with anyway, he pulled Bakura's right arm over him, tangled their legs together, and rested his head on Bakura's chest. All Bakura needed was some undisturbed rest and he would be fine. Between the beats of Bakura's heart, Ryou was asleep again.

When Bakura finally woke up his room was a lot dimmer than it had been. His entire right half was extremely warm and the pressure on his chest was heavy. He hadn't dreamed at all, save for one incomplete dream that faded into nothingness soon after it started. Ryou had been right. He tightened the grip of his right arm, hugging his hikari into his side. Never had he been so grateful for his brilliant hikari. He wondered idly whether Ryou would be opposed to a grateful kiss to wake him up.

"I wouldn't mind a kiss, actually."

Bakura's heart sped up. He'd never understand how Ryou could practically read his mind despite the closed link. Ryou's hips shifted slightly and Bakura's breath caught. His heart sped up even more.

"Uh, sorry about that..." Ryou apologised, moving his lower half away from Bakura. With a sudden movement, without even thinking about it, Bakura rolled over his hikari. Careful not to crush the other man, or even to trap him, Bakura held himself over his hikari. Slowly, letting Ryou pull away if he wanted, Bakura lowered his hips. Through flimsy sleep pants, they touched and both men hissed at the contact.

Ryou grabbed Bakura's shirt and pulled him down. They both moaned as Bakura fell forward. "I was promised a kiss." Ryou spoke cheekily.

"I'll give you more than that." Bakura promised gravelly. Ryou grinned at him and tilted his chin up, offering himself. And who was Bakura to turn him down? Gently he captured his hikari's lips, the effects of his nightmares still haunting his movements. Ryou hummed against him and he knew that Ryou was aware of his reticence. What he didn't expect was Ryou taking over the kiss, turning it filthy. Those were Ryou's hands under his shirt, all over his chest, touching and stroking, proving to him that he was completely willing.

Bakura knew it but he didn't move his hands from underneath Ryou's shoulders. Ryou hummed again and Bakura knew he was fighting a losing battle. One hand slipped from Bakura's chest to plunge into his pants. A loud moan escaped Bakura's mouth that Ryou quickly silenced. How had his hikari learned these skills to make him lose his mind so?

Ryou pulled his mouth away, leaving Bakura to pant wetly against Ryou's neck. "I'm just very good." Bakura huffed and sucked a hickey on Ryou's pulse point in revenge. The noise Ryou made in response made him smirk. Ryou's clever fingers worked at him, making his hips jerk further into his grip.

"Open yourself to me," Bakura whispered against Ryou's skin. His hikari shivered and his thoughts slid against Bakura's. He felt Ryou's willingness, his pleasure, his happiness. The combination relaxed Bakura.

He set about replacing the horror of his nightmares with the reality of his hikari's pleasure.


	18. Epilogue: Yami and Yuugi

More sexual situations and really slow building love. Blink and you miss it. I changed chapter 15 a bit (at the end) to fit with this continuity better. You don't suddenly get over mistrust just because of a deux ex machina anyway.

* * *

Yuugi and Yami, months after Fate's intervention

Everyone always thought that Yuugi and Yami had the easiest relationship. After all, their camaraderie and partnership carried them through countless trials. It really, really wasn't as easy as everyone thought. Like all friendships, even one as strong as Yuugi's and Yami's, faded. That had hurt. So he'd run away with Malik and Ryou, also feeling ignored and underappreciated. It could have been worse, Yuugi pondered, he could have been abused.

They'd kept in contact while Yuugi traveled the world with his friends, trying to make something of the fledgling band they'd started. It wasn't the easiest of separations but it was better than sticking around and following around his yami like a lovesick puppy. He wondered if his yami would ever see him as someone desirable. His heart ached every time he video called his yami.

The calls picked up in frequency as time went by. Absence makes the heart grow fonder or something like that.

As soon as Yuugi returned, newly successful, Yami had seemed happy to welcome him back. He was all smiles and hugs but Yuugi was still wary. He couldn't even explain why he felt so wary of Yami. It wasn't like he'd physically done anything to Yuugi, just ignored him.

Still he was glad to have Yami in his life even though the constant heartache was a bit of a pain. That wasn't Yami's fault though, it wasn't his fault that his pitiful little hikari couldn't even help falling in love with him. At least Yami didn't know. He'd like to think his yami would let him down easy but it had been so long since Yuugi had been in tune with Yami's thoughts that Yuugi didn't dare base his peace of mind on a hopeful guess. So he stayed quiet about his feelings.

Ryou and Malik seemed to fall into easy friendships with their yamis. Yuugi was jealous but kept that to himself too. There had been a time when Yami could just glance at Yuugi and know something was wrong. Now they treated each other with distant friendliness.

It seemed they would always keep each other at a distance. Had it not been for Ryou and Malik, Yuugi was sure their relationship would never recover. Ryou and Malik had decreed weekly dinner hangouts, attendance mandatory. Swift and terrible retribution would befall those who failed to show up. Bakura missed one and woke up the next day with pink hair that wouldn't wash out for days.

Forced to spend time together, Yami and Yuugi slowly repaired their frayed relationship. Their stilted weekly conversations became more relaxed. Then it turned into video chats every other night. Then suddenly, every night. Then it was just commonplace to constantly text each other inane things like 'here's a pic of a can turned the wrong way at the_ bottom of the stack_ doesn't that just _drive you mad_?'

Before Yuugi knew it, he had moved back into his old place and Yami was a huge part of his life again. They both smiled more and they slipped back into treating each other with the friendly ease from the beginning. But still Yuugi carried his doubts and his unrequited love.

But one thing he never changed and they never discussed was the still-closed link. Yami had opened his side the day Yuugi moved back in but if he was disappointed that Yuugi didn't, he hadn't shown it.

Yami's thoughts and emotions weren't livestreamed into Yuugi's head; that wasn't how it worked. He only felt vague impressions unless they were particularly strong like the time Yami almost got into a bad wreck. Yuugi nearly hyperventilated under the _shockangerholyshitimalivetha twastoofuckingclosefuckfuckf uck!_ that Yami broadcasted straight into his head. He almost opened their link then if only to reassure Yami and ask if he was okay to drive. But Yami had already pulled over and sent his own reassurances.

Still, when Yami came home, Yuugi practically pounced on him and hugged him extra tight, burying his face in Yami's neck. They didn't move for a while.

After that almost-incident, Yuugi noticed his yami seemed to stare at him a lot. He couldn't flesh out what Yami felt during those times; his thoughts too convoluted to pick out. Since staring was better than ignoring and leagues better than abuse, Yuugi didn't question it. Besides, it soothed his heartache a bit, knowing that time spent staring at him wasn't time spent chasing relationships. Yami never showed any interest in other people, guy or girl. Yuugi was thankful for that at least.

So really the sudden arousal that blasted through their link made him pause as he left the bathroom, toweling his hair dry. One quarter turn and there was his Yami, staring again. He looked down at himself, just a quick check, and yeah, his towel was still in place. Sure it was slung low across his hips but was that reaction really necessary?

Another quarter turn and Yuugi walked off, ignoring the sudden loss of Yami's thoughts as Yami cut off their link. Yuugi was pretty sure Yami still stood there staring, (at his ass, really Yami?), but didn't bothering turning around to look.

What really got him thinking was the fact that Yami disappeared for the rest of the night and their link didn't come back online til the next morning. And always the staring. Never any words. He was pretty sure his yami knew how to use words.

So Yuugi watched and waited, baiting Yami deliberately now. He wore the tighter shirts that Malik kept pushing on him ("The fans, Yuugi, think of the fans!"). He left the shower with only a towel around his hips when he knew Yami was walking by. He didn't wear the skinny jeans but he did wear shorts more often. Their link seemed to switch on and off like a light nowadays.

Yuugi would have done something about the sexual attraction Yami clearly had going for him but he always held back because if their relationship failed once, and that was just friendship, then what was stopping them from having another falling out? The heartache from being ignored the first time around drove him out of the country. How much farther could he go if he jumped into a sexual relationship that ended just as abruptly?

He of course didn't factor emotional attraction into his thoughts because Yami had never shown anything deeper than friendship towards him. Yami probably just wanted to fuck him, and who was he kidding, he was pretty desirable. The Twitter proposals he got went from lewd to heartfelt in the span of a couple hours. So yeah, he knew he was desirable.

He was also a little scared. But he would only admit that in the privacy of his own mind. And his mind was still his own. His side of the link still remained closed.

They still never talked about Yuugi's refusal to open his mind. In deference to that, Yuugi never brought up the sexual frustration Yami seemed to exude whenever Yuugi wore tight clothing.

The staring was starting to grate on his nerves though.

Yuugi was sorely tempted to do something about the tension between them. He weighed the pros and cons of throwing himself into a friends-with-benefits relationship. Feelings complicated everything. The constant state of low level arousal Yami seemed to be in was starting to affect him too.

So Yuugi thought fuck it, mentally deleted his pros and cons list and planned to jump his yami that night. He pulled out all the stops that day. His yami was really fucking obvious sometimes, who did he think he was fooling anyway? He practically wore a sign saying 'my hikari turns me on so bad I think I'll go masturbate now.'

Yeah not this time. As soon as Yami locked his door, Yuugi was there, knocking. He could have jimmied the door open but that would take time and Yami would obviously hear the noise.

"I know you're in there and if you don't let me in, I'll call Bakura and Marik and tell them you're masturbating and fantasizing of me."

Yami yanked the door open so quickly Yuugi worried about the hinges for a second. His yami was already shirtless. He worked fast. Yuugi smirked and pushed Yami into the room with a firm hand on his chest.

"Yuugi, aibou, what are you doing?"

Were they ignoring the fact that Yami had a pretty fucking noticeable bulge in his jeans? Not fucking likely.

"You're going to strip, lay down on your bed, and instead of jerking off to thoughts of fucking me through the mattress," he paused, looking at his red-faced yami, "really, you're very vanilla, aren't you?" Yami blushed harder. A quick look down showed that despite his embarrassment, he was still hard. "Instead of jerking off, I'm going to ride you."

Yami let out a breathless sound.

"I didn't even know you were interested in men."

"I got over Anzu."

Yuugi pushed Yami onto the bed and straddled him. Yami's hands settled on his hips. He looked like he was about to offer a protest in favour of talking. So Yuugi leaned down and took one of Yami's nipples into his mouth, rolling the opposite one. A loud, shocked moan and a quick thrust of his hips and speaking was the last thing on Yami's mind. Really it was way too easy to distract his yami, Yuugi thought.

Taking Yami's wandering hands, he pushed them over Yami's head. He couldn't pin them and carry out his plan so he took to threats instead.

"If you move your hands, if you touch me at all, I'm gone and you can take care of yourself. Understand?" Yami nodded, crossing his wrists above his head. Yuugi smirked and set to work.

A few minutes of kissing, marking, and scratching later, Yami lay panting, fully exposed under Yuugi. His hands grasped uselessly at air and Yuugi pinched a nipple every time Yami had made an abortive move to touch Yuugi. He himself was fully clothed, still straddling his yami.

Yami looked at him through dilated pupils, lips kiss bruised and wet. A couple hickeys scattered across Yami's chest completed the picture.

His side of the link was wide open. The stream of _pleasepleasepleaseneedmoreto uchmemore_ was easy to ignore.

Yuugi didn't pay much attention to the press of Yami's thoughts, just set about getting them both off.

So the touch of _Yuugipleasemoresocloseyesyes yes I lo_- then the abrupt closure of the link was a bit of a shock. Yuugi touched himself almost as an afterthought, too far gone not to, even if Yami's admission was like stepping into an icy shower. As Yami relaxed completely beneath him, boneless after Yuugi worked his magic, he smiled radiantly as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell on Yuugi's world.

On autopilot Yuugi cleaned them up, dragging his discarded shirt over their bodies and depositing the condom in the wastebasket.

"Can I touch you now, aibou?" came Yami's low voice, startling Yuugi out of his thoughts.

"No," Yuugi answered more curtly than he'd anticipated. Yami's expression shut down and dropped his hand between them, clearly having expected a positive answer.

"If this is about what I said...?" he started hesitatingly, leaning on his elbows to get a better look at Yuugi.

No, no he wasn't having this conversation post orgasm, naked, and still in Yami's lap. He wasn't having this conversation ever. Scrambling off the bed and grabbing his boxers and jeans, he pulled them on jerkily. He need to think; he needed to get out. He wasn't doing the awkward morning after and it wasn't even midnight yet holyfuckingshit.

"Yuugi!" his yami called, voice desperate.

Yuugi ignored him, darting to his room to grab a clean shirt. He dodged his yami's desperate reach, and then he was out the door, into the night.

He definitely underestimated his yami's desperation though because one step out the door, he was being dragged back in. And that triggered something in him, he didn't even know why, but suddenly he was on the other side of the room, well beyond Yami's reach.

Yami closed the front door and that elicited a panic response so strong Yuugi almost couldn't breathe. Only when Yami raised his palms in the universal 'I mean no harm' gesture did Yuugi relax slightly.

"I just want to talk, Yuugi, that's all. I know that if we don't, this will be swept under the rug of things we don't talk about. And I don't want that; that's the last thing I want." Yami's placating words did nothing to calm the storm of thoughts raging in Yuugi's mind.

He should be overjoyed that Yami loved him. He had loved Yami so long that it should be a relief that Yami felt the same way. So why wasn't he? Why wasn't he leaping at Yami so they could live happily ever after?

Yami took a single step forward and Yuugi's attention immediately snapped towards the movement. And suddenly Yuugi knew.

He didn't trust Yami.

It was as simple as that. He didn't trust Yami not to hurt him again. It practically killed him when Yami ignored him and just dropped his friendship like he never even mattered in the first place. He had never really gotten over the betrayal he'd felt.

Being presented with the chance at a happy ending seemed impossible. Now that it was a chance, Yuugi balked.

Yami saw the confliction in Yuugi's face. There wasn't much he could do about it; Yuugi's problems were his own. But he did what he could because he loved Yuugi.

Opening his side, Yami poured in his realisation that he needed Yuugi in his life to breathe when Yuugi disappeared, his happiness when Yuugi returned, the frustration he felt when Yuugi rightfully kept him at arm's length, his helpless thatsbecauseofme when Yuugi never reopened his side of the link, his growing affection, the moment that he knew he was in love with his hikari, the constant arousal at his tease of a hikari doeshenotknowwhathesdoingtom e, the shock of Yuugi taking control and-

"Stop!"

Yami didn't know whether he meant stop the flow of thoughts or stop walking so he stopped both. Just an arm's length away, Yuugi glared at him.

"Loving me makes no difference in our history. It doesn't undo the hurt you caused or even make up for it. Just because I love you, doesn't mean-"

"You love me?" Yami asked, completely shocked.

Yuugi threw his hands up in the air. Of course that's what Yami focused on first.

"I thought you hated me. When you came back I thought it would be impossible to return to the way we were before. When you gradually let me back into your life, you still kept me at arm's length, like you were holding back. I wanted to push but I had no right. I let you set the pace of our friendship, eagerly awaiting the next call so I could prove to you I could change."

He took half a step closer. Yuugi held up his hand, pressing against Yami's bare chest. Yami obediently moved no further but didn't stop the flow of words.

"I realised early on that the eagerness I felt was affection. I wanted you to like me again. I wanted us to be closer. I wanted you in my life. I wanted to know what your lips felt against mine. I wanted to know what sounds you'd make in pleasure."

Somehow that sounded familiar but Yuugi couldn't place it and ignored the feeling.

"I wanted you so badly I didn't know how to begin to say anything. And now you're here, just within reach, but you're still pulling away. Will you tell me why?"

That was it the ball was in Yuugi's court now. He could take a chance and be with Yami, opening himself up to hurt. Or he could walk away and drop the subject, never to bring it up again. But now they both knew of the other's affection, that couldn't be swept away, never to be talked about. They had to deal with it now.

"I need time. Time to sort this out in my head, time to decide where I want our relationship to go. You've made it pretty obvious but now it's my turn to figure out what I want. And I can't do that while you're practically pinning me to the wall."

Yami nodded like he knew Yuugi was going to say all that. "I'll give you as long as you need." Then he was gone.

When had his life become a bad soap opera?

Their dynamic went back to normal, like nothing ever happened, like Yuugi never jumped Yami, and they didn't have a love confession, and wow his life was such a soap opera. Yami still stared at him, Yuugi's link was still closed. Things were normal.

Yami kept his side firmly closed, determined not to influence Yuugi's decision one way or another. But he was freer with his touches. A friendly pat now and again, a stroke of their fingers when Yami passed a coffee cup, a brief hug before Yami left to do something or other. He smiled a lot more too.

Yuugi missed the pressure of Yami's thoughts against his own. He missed the vague impressions of Yami's emotions. He missed knowing how far away his yami was from him.

Not even two days passed before Yuugi was back in Yami's bedroom, kissing the soul from him and scrabbling at his clothes wanting to touch skin. He was on top of Yami again, one knee between Yami's legs. Yuugi's desperate moves were tempered by Yami's slowness. He eased the pace and opened his link, flooding it with affection and love until Yuugi was practically drowning in it.

He gasped against Yami's throat, movements ceasing.

"Have you decided then?" Yami asked, running his hand through Yuugi's hair. All Yuugi knew was that he wanted what Yami was offering but didn't know how to go about getting it.

"I want you; I want this."

"Then what's bothering you?"

"I still don't trust this. You." The only physical response was a brief cessation of hair stroking.

"Understandable. I hurt you pretty badly."

There was still a trickle of hurt pulsing down their bond though.

"What do you need me to do?"

"I don't know, I just, I don't know how to get over it."

"There's nothing to get over, aibou. You don't trust me, that's okay. I understand that."

Yami pushed love and acceptance down their bond, feeling Yuugi relax against his body.

"Maybe we should take things slowly." Yuugi suggested.

Yami outright chuckled at that, the arm over Yuugi's body keeping him from pulling away in indignation.

"We're supposed to take things slow, _then_ move in together, _then_ have wild, passionate sex." Yami pointed out between laughs.

"Yeah but we've never done things the easy way, have we?" Yuugi asked, amusement colouring his voice.

"Yuugi is it really necessary that we take it slow? I mean, I'll do it if you really want to, but I think it's the wrong way of going about your trust issues."

"What do you suggest then?"

"Here, in the privacy of our home, we'll be couple-y. We'll tell each other if something's bothering us and we'll work it out. There will be good morning kisses or goodbye kisses or hey I wanna kiss you right now kisses. Once you're comfortable with that, we could move into one bedroom. Try waking up with each other."

"I'm thinking good morning blowjobs."

Yami's blush was almost instantaneous. It was kind of adorable.

"Yes that too, if you want." he stuttered out. Yeah it was definitely adorable.

So they tried out Yami's idea. Surprise kisses were cute. Surprise blowjobs were even better,_ why didn't they think of this before, fuck Yami, do that again, please!_

The staring turned into touching and occasionally kisses. And that was good, more than good. But they never discussed the fact that Yuugi still didn't open his side of the link. It was progress as little as it was.

One morning, Yuugi woke up in Yami's arms. There was a smile on Yami's face and the sleepy press of Yami's mind was soothing.

_Holyfuckingshit_ they were in a relationship.

Yuugi's first instinct was to run but he was so warm, pressed against Yami's side, that he didn't want to move or expend the energy it would likely take to run this early in the morning. Instead he settled back against Yami and stared up at the ceiling.

Tentatively, like stretching a long disused limb, Yuugi opened his side of the link, letting his emotions bleed through. Yami took in a shocked breath, waking up between heartbeats, his hand reaching out and grabbing Yuugi's.

"Aibou,"

Yuugi sent a mental equivalent of waving hi.

Next thing he knew he was pinned to the bed, Yami over him, being kissed within an inch of his life. He could definitely get down with this, Yuugi thought as he ran his hands eagerly over Yami's body, eagerly reciprocating the kiss. Their happiness bounced between them.

It took them months to get to this point, and a whole lot of drama, but Yuugi was glad that he had his happy ending after all.


End file.
